Fairy Tail: Trials of Ice
by Viperhat
Summary: From a young age Gray had been taught to use Devil Slaying Magic, to become strong. But when Deliora's rampage leaves him forever half-blinded and disfigured he finds himself changing in more ways than one. The course of his destiny forcefully converted entirely, he rises from the ashes to become the feared and respected 'Coldheart' of Fairy Tail.'Ice-trails Arc'
1. Brago: Prologue

Hello everyone,

Just so you guys know I will be continuing The Ripple Effect as the poll suggests. But I also stated that I would be publishing the first chapter of Trials of ice before going back to The Ripple Effect.

This is the big story and I will look forward to making this when I have completed TRE, but until then I leave you with this.

 **Warning** : This story is likely to contain depressing themes, language later in, gore and sporadic updates… You have been warned.

 **Disclaimer** : I don't own FT for if I did Gray wouldn't be dicked over all the time and he wouldn't be forced to get with that useless stalker he has to put up with. Nor do I own the 'Grayson Lee Fullbuster' name, the credit goes to Chemical Violets for the great name.

Let's read…

:::-((x))-:::

Grayson 'Lee' Fullbuster (prefers just Gray) was a seven year old child who lived with with his farther in the town of Brago. He was described as energetic, funny, cheeky, loyal and caring. He had never met his mother as she had mysteriously disappeared just a few days after he was born.

His father, Silver Fullbuster had told him the truth on why she had left all those years ago. He was both shocked and angry at hearing the news…

He was a devil slayer, he was one of the few left from what his father had told him. His element was ice and Gray felt happy to know that as the was his favourite element. His father told him that such magic can only be obtained through inheritance I,E from his father. It was the exact reason his mother left, she couldn't take in the fact that her son was a demon.

Silver had never told her about his slayer side and on the day she left, she had been spotted trying to kill her son by Silver. In rage, he kicked her out and told her to never come back. Gray saw his father physically flinch and tense as he told him the sad story.

He was only five at the time, he was never the same afterwards but for a kid his age he was very intelligent and understood that it was better to be changed and alive than the same and vulnerable...

After his father told him everything Gray had asked him to teach him how to control his magic as he wanted to protect those who were in trouble. He may have been intelligent but he was still very naive.

Silver had promised him though and his days were spent training to become as good as he could be, messing around with his friend Jade and reading through his fathers collection of books to learn every weakness of his magic.

He knew he couldn't be a normal child anymore after his fathers words but he still found the time to have fun like every other normal kid his age.

He spent his time like this for the next two years and here he was now.,,,

"Come on Gray! Has you dad been teaching you to be a slow coach or something!" Shouted the young voice of Jade. She had been his friend from the start of school. She put up with his antics and in turn he put up with hers. The two were as close as you can get.

"That's it, you want me to catch you then? I was just giving you a fair chance!" Gray shouted back to his best friend.

With that said he started to pick up the pace, catching up with his friend in no time. Jade's eye's widened as she saw him rocketing towards her. Gray jumped at her and managed to grab her arm. He grinned as she yelped at his sudden action. Thing that made him really laugh was her pouting at him, trying to get him to let her run off again.

But Gray was an asshole She knew it and so did he…

He shook his head at her.

"Uh-uh, nope you're not going anywhere now." He said confidently.

"Please..." She whined.

He rubbed his chin in mock thought.

"Ummmmm, nope!" He chirped in a high tone. Enjoying her pout increase…

He finally let her go after he looked at his watch only to find the time to be a hour past his routine. Cursing, he let her go and ran back towards his house. He Shouted a 'SEEYA!' over his shoulder and he saw Jade grin in deviousness.

He had just been punked…

His father was never going to let him live this down that was for sure.

:::-((x))-:::

Silver Fullbuster was waiting impatiently for the brat to get back home. It was an hour past the training session he had set up for them and he was looking forward to adding an extra hour to Grays overall time he would force him to train for.

"Dad!"

Ah, here he is…

"Dad I am so sorr-" Gray stopped and looked at his fathers devilish grin (no pun intended) and paled.

"What time do you call this?" Smirked his father.

"Time to train?" Gray tried to avert his fathers attention but he wasn't having any of it.

"Nope," Silver started. "Its time to explain why on earth you are a whole hour late again."

"Jade tricked me." Gray said and all of a sudden, Silver laughed at how silly his son could be at times. This was priceless.

"Again?" He laughed out. "How many more times are you going to fall for that?" He was on his knees now.

"No more." Gray stated, but Silver knew he would be making the same mistake again next week.

He bet it was going to be Wednesday this time. But he sobered up before leading his son into the arena for their lessons.

"Now Gray, you have learned a massive amount of stuff over these two years and I am very impressed." Silver began. "But I only have one more thing to teach you. It will be very tiring and tedious to complete, not too mention very dangerous to the town folk but I know for certain that you will do just fine doing this technique."

Gray looked shocked to hear that this would be the final lesson on Devil slaying magic. He had been doing the lessons for a few years now and has mastered over twenty different spells but he had never heard of a secret technique before. It must be powerful if it was secret to even most slayers.

Devil slayers that is…

"It is called 'Satan's final judgement' and is an attack that could very easily kill a person if you are not careful. Are you ready?" Silver asked carefully and slowly.

Gray gulped at hearing the dangers of the Satan's final judgement but felt like he could not be more prepared for his final lesson.

He nodded slowly.

"Good. I have put up some basic runes to block off most of the force and damage so feel free to give this you're all.

Gray walked into the arena and felt the gate close behind him. He turned around to see his father looking at him excitedly. He knew he was going to enjoy this.

He stood in the centre of the ring, closing his eyes and focusing on the inner devil inside him. He channelled his magic into his clamped together hands and suddenly opened his eyes.

"Devil Slaying secret technique!" He jumped into the air which because of his magic being used he jumped fifteen feet high. "Satan's final Judgement!" His fist collided with the ground and he found out that the attack was and area effective type. Shock wave after shock waves of unmeltable ice escaped from Gray and quickly expanded until Gray willed it to stop at a distance. The 'Ice waves' as he called them kept together in a ring like fashion.

Then as the shock waves continued on, Gray felt icy shards begin to swirl around the massive area that the ice waves covered, bring sharpened projectiles into the chaos that was his secret technique.

Then bodies of animated ice began to form and search for any enemy in the 'icy' area. They all were different, one being an eagle, a half dragon half snake hybrid, a giant and a Wyvern.

More and more animated ice creatures formed and Gray was starting to feel slightly drained. This was a lot to control and keep in order.

He found himself cocooned in ice. He smirked, the secret technique was both offensive and defensive. He didn't have to see the threat and innocent to tell them apart, he just felt the presence of anything within the ice area.

He managed to keep the spell up for five more minutes before dispelling it and falling into a sitting position. He saw the gob smacked look on his father and he felt smug.

Silver was very impressed. When he had first used the spell he couldn't keep it up any longer than 2 minutes when he was his sons age and here was his son, trumping him on the first go.

Even if there were imperfections he couldn't really say that they would hamper Gray much. And Gray would perfect the spell in all good time anyway, so he wouldn't worry.

"So, how was that huh?" He heard Gray asked tiredly.

"I am more than impressed Gray." Silver spoke. "I hadn't even been able to keep that spell up for that long at you're age. You have a lot of control and excess magic as you have just kept up the most powerful devil slayer attack longer than others you I can recall."

Gray beamed in pride at his fathers compliment.

"Thanks Dad. I promise to be responsible with this technique." He said, determination lacing his tone.

Silver expected no less from him and he knew that he could trust Gray to be responsible, no doubt about that.

:::-((x))-:::

Gray woke up from his slumber and grumbled irritatedly from the sun light glaring into his eyes. He had planned to sleep in today but now that the big ball of crappy light had interrupted his plans he would have to make do with the day passing by normally.

He got up slowly, rubbing the sleep away from his eyes and made his way to the shower. His small yet strong form slowly entered the bathroom and almost immediately entered the shower.

He turned up the water temperature to a more lukewarm degree and turned on the shower.

His thoughts consisted mainly of 'What am I going to do today?' or 'what should I have for breakfast?', then an idea came to him.

Why not have a quick strum of the guitar before going over to Jade's for a few hours?

He thought it all over and finally decided to begin his master plan for today…

After he had finished his shower, he went back up to his room and put on a black sleeveless shirt and blue jeans, he took out a pair of black and grey shoes and quickly slipped them on. He tucked in the sleeveless shirt and set his sights on the shiny black acoustic guitar sitting on its stand a few metres away.

He went over and picked the instrument up and got into position.

(AN: Imagine Ewan Dobson time 2)

Gray's thumb and fingers quickly got to work creating a quick and complex rhythm that would start off the song he had in mind. He always was a fan of music, in fact he had learned how to play the piano as well as all types of guitar he knew. He singing wasn't the absolute best but it did sound good overall but he wasn't a fan of singing as much as he was a fan of the music itself.

He quickly moved his thumb up to the second string and started to do the same thing he did with the last high note string. This added to the build up of the music and he felt pleased with the flawless execution he made.

Soon, he started to strum the first and third string whilst keeping his fingers in the correct position. He moved his fingers up and down the neck of the guitar to create the final piece of build up before rapidly moving his fingers up and down and to many different chords. This was the chorus and Gray enjoyed this part of the song the best, it sounded like organised chaos that sounded very energetic and very powerful in a sense…

He repeated the same chords in the same order as before once more before ending the song off with a slow strum of all the strings.

He set his guitar down, feeling more optimistic than before he started playing. Then he heard a squeal of joy and jumped at the sudden high pitch piercing the lovely silence he had made.

He knew of only one person who was able to make that squeal…

"Jade?" He asked out to the seemingly empty room. He sighed and thought he was hearing things when he looked back and saw Jade behind him with a funny face being pulled.

Gray had stuck himself to his ceiling with his ice when he saw jade behind him. He was never going to live down now…

Jade was crying tears of mirth from her friends reaction to her prank, she had heard him playing the guitar and was (as always) mesmerised when she heard him but she took the time he was playing to sneak into his room and hide behind his bed. Silvers orders of course.

Gray just took a deep breath and glared at her. He knew that she didn't grow up like him and kept a normal childlike personality but it was a day where he was slightly more grouchy than normal.

She just grinned at his annoyed face…

"Ahahahaha! That was awesome! I was like 'RAWR' and you were just all 'AAAHHH' hahahaha!" She was laughing so hard that it hurt to breath but Jade didn't care. This was worth it.

Gray however disagreed with her thoughts.

"Oh ha ha very funny…" He said in reply to her statement. "Now one: How on earth did you get in? Two: Why are you here and Three: What was the point in that scare?"

Jade just pouted…

"Oh cheer up grumpy pants and get you're but up so we can go outside and play!" She shouted excitedly.

Gray was annoyed by how loud she was but conceded and followed her out into the busy streets of Brago.

'Just the regular routine' Gray thought before waving to his dad and closing the door behind him…

:::-((x))-:::

That was harder than I thought it would be…

Okay, this may seem like a bad place to start off a story but it was better than starting from when Gray was little and this means I can use the past I made up later in the story…

Although this wasn't the 5,000 words per chapter story, I want to stick to my cap of two to three thousand words for any story otherwise I could lose interest. I don't want that and I am guessing neither do you guys.

But I guess you guys will have to wait until TRE is done to see more of this. Also do you guys want me to make one more chapter to 'He won't harm you'? This has been on my mind for a while but again you guys get the final say. You're opinion is what I want on this…

TRIVIA TIME…

1: What movie are you looking forward to seeing the most the next year?

I am stuck between Deadpool and Captain America: Civil war.

2: What is you're favourite drink?

Mine would definitely have to be a limeade…

3: What do you think of Gray playing a guitar and piano.

I like the idea of it as it means he is more complex than any other character in fairy tail. Well, with the exception being Zeref.

Thanks for reading this first chapter of Trials of Ice and stay cool (no pun intended),

-Viperhat


	2. Exposed: One

Hello Bitches!

We are finally doing this! After three months or something like that we are finally delving into Trails Of Ice.

(Or better known as TOI.)

Now before we begin I would like to point out that this story will take a LONG ASS TIME to complete. The reason for that is that the story follows canon by a fair margin and the story needs the canon to actually drive itself forward.

In fact whilst I write this story I am looking at the many arcs from canon and the arcs I put in myself, which are mostly little 'mini arcs'. I have some arcs that are full blown story arcs but they are few and far between.

If you guys really want me too I can write down all of the arcs I have written down right now… But they could be switched or other arcs can and most likely will be added in during this stories development.

Basically, I am out of my league and I love every second of it XD.

So remember that if you want to see the arcs let me know via PM or REVIEW…

But I have kept you long enough.

 **DISCLAIMER** : I do not own FT as you should know by now… Nor do I own 'This is gospel' by Panic! At the disco either!

Oh and I will only put the disclaimer up this once so remember that.

LETS READ!

:::-((x))-:::

Mini arc one: Exposure

(3 months later)

Gray quickly rushed behind his make-shift wall of snow as he avoided yet another snowball thrown by Jade, who had instantly hid behind hers to stop his own snowball from connecting with her head.

He grinned tiredly, this was the life! As he let out a tired breath he couldn't help but think how everything he needed was here, his town despite the massive amount of hate he and his family seem to get, his family and most importantly his best friend. He honestly could say that he would've got bitter and hateful towards the many horrible people in the town if she had never become his friend that day in the school playground.

He was only five years old then and she had only turned five, he was a very anti-social boy back then and he would just glare at those who even came near him.

But she just gave him a bright, childish smile before sitting next to him and annoying him for the many years to come.

In short, she annoyed him into becoming her friend…

Not that he was complaining of course, he was smart enough to know that he would've gone down a bad path in his life if she hadn't inadvertently intervened.

Hurling one more snowball at her, he looked over towards Jades snow wall, his head just peaking over the top of his own. He wanted to see where she was or if she was trying something.

His eyes sweeped over the land and he smirked evilly as he saw her hiding poorly behind a wooden table five feet from her snow wall.

"Ya give up yet!?" He shouted.

"You wish snowflake!"

His hand quickly met his forehead at the nickname, who called someone snowflake? He couldn't let her get away with this of course.

He gave her the bird, something they did when their parents weren't around to tell them off. "Ok that's it! You're gonna get it!"

With that said, he darted over his snow wall and sprinted towards Jades wooden table, both of his hands holding one snowball each as he jumped onto the top of the table and slid to her side as he threw both of his snowballs straight at her face.

The fact that they both connected made it look even more awesome…

Jade let out a cute yelp as the cold balls of snow hit her face suddenly, she spent a minute getting the the snow out of her hair and face whilst letting her face heat up to its normal temperature again as she looked over towards Gray who was doubled over in laughter.

He wasn't paying attention. Jade grinned deviously at his oblivious shaking form as she charged at him, he noticed too late as his eyes widened as he shrieked in terror.

"BUNDLE!"

That was what he heard from her before he was tackled to the ground, he struggled to get Jade off as he was tired from the snow war they had just had for the last few hours. Jade may be slightly skinnier than most but she definitely had strength when it counted.

As he had found out…

Jade gave him a teasing grin as she squealed right in his ear. "I WIN!"

The high pitch noise in his ear had startled him into giving out his own high pitched shriek of his own which had the same effect on Jade as hers did him.

His girly scream scared her enough for her to fall off of him and land next to him as the shock wore off.

Then she started giggling. He looked over at her in confusion, what was so funny?

"Grayson screams like girl!" She sang when she saw his confusion. Which made Gray go red in the face before he shouted.

"I don't scream like a girl! S-Shut up!"

She giggled. "Yes you do!" Before she took off back to Grays house for refuge.

He caught on to early and once again caught up to her before she got to the door again. Gray smirked at her desperate struggling before he decided to rub in the victory. "I win, again!" He laughed in her face before she caught him off guard.

Then something happened...

He felt her arms wrap around him as she buried her head into his chest. He was surprised to say the least. He was also slightly embarrassed, they were just outside his door and his father could open the door at any time.

"H-Hey! What're you doing?" He stuttered out.

"Im hugging you silly. You're my best friend ever remember?" She answered quietly. He was stumped, of course they were best friends! They did almost everything together, but never before has she hugged him for anything. What was going on!?

He pondered on what she was doing and why she was doing it when she let go of him and stepped away from him, her face tinted red slightly.

"S-See ya tomorrow Gray!" She said before she ran off towards her house. Leaving him baffled as he watched her disappear from his field of vision.

What just actually happened?…

"GRAY!" Gray jumped out of his skin as a loud voice let loose in his ear for the second time that day. He landed face first in the snow as he heard the familiar roars of laughter from who he instantly knew was his father.

His asshole father who he loved lots, but he was still an asshole.

Silvers laughter died down as he helped his son up. He placed a hand on the boys shoulder chuckled as Gray gave his father a light glare. Even though he was the boys father he may as well be younger than his son mentally most of the time.

"How was your day Gray?" He asked, smiling as he watched Gray try and burn a hole through his head.

"It was fine Father..." His answer was not very satisfying as Silver frowned slightly.

"Okay, let us try again, 'How was your day Grayson?'"

Rolling his eyes, the younger Fullbuster replied by giving him the tale of his and Jades little snowball war (He lied a little by saying he won effortlessly), Before that his little musical project and how finally how Jade did something weird before he showed up.

Silver internally grinned, that girl had such a big crush it wasn't even funny sometimes. But he would joke with her parents about it later but until then he asked Gray what instrument he used this time to which he replied by saying that he used his acoustic guitar.

Silver then pointed out Grays little lie and he blushed in anger from his fathers effortless deduction, which he enjoyed a bit too much for his sons liking.

"Ok whatever father, I am going to play the piano now. Seeya!" He darted off before his father could even reply, much too Silvers chagrin. Charging upstairs and into his room before closing the door to keep out the echo.

His father just grinned. He knew how much Gray enjoyed his music, he had paid for lessons when Gray had asked him for the millionth time if he could learn and when he finally caved it was remembered little Gray looking like he had won the grand magic games.

'speaking of which' He thought suddenly. 'I wonder when the studio will broadcast the fight between Aaron Sidewinder and Haku Tekani?'

With that thought he walked over to his Lacrima and activated it to check, he was greatly pleased when he saw that the fight was now being broadcast. He sat down on the sofa watched with Great interest as Haku was blasted away by Aaron's Kinesis magic.

:::-((x))-:::

" _The fear, the fear of falling apart._

 _The fear of falling apart..."_

It was one of the few times Gray had decided to sing along with the music instead of just creating the music and letting it just be a musical piece without the added oomph.

His long fingers swept across the keys as if they were just repeating a routine they had remembered long ago as he finished the song.

Maybe he should learn how to use the drums next…

He let that thought cross his mind as he grinned excitedly, he remembered hearing about a multi-loop lacrima that he could use for some pretty interesting pieces. His voice may not be the best but he knew that it was pretty good, just rough around the edges.

But the song he was just ending was something close to his heart. He himself didn't know what it really meant but he guessed that people would have different interpretations.

But he had made the song to help himself get over the death of his Grandparents. They had died two years ago when he was five years old. Their deaths had hit both him and his father hard when they were told of the unfortunate event and when Gray had learned how to use the piano the first song he made was this. He found out that it helped him and his father when Silver had pointed out the message the song sent.

Letting go of your sorrow and getting on with the life you have…

He let out a tired breath and looked at his bed, the sheets were unkempt but they almost looked inviting, it was inviting enough however for Gray to succumb to his fatigue as he walked slowly to his closet, removing his black gear (vest cargo's and steel toed boots etc.) in trade for his dark grey pyjama bottoms, he didn't put on the top part as he hated the clinging fabric hugging him whilst he tried to sleep.

Sighing in relief from the loose fitting bottoms instead of the slightly restrictive cargo's (He didn't want to wear his special made ones.) he walked slowly towards his bed and climbed onto the top of it and as soon as his head hit the pillow he fell straight to sleep, without the covers over him.

But then again, he was an ice based mage… He didn't need covers.

His dreams were of what tomorrow would see him doing.

However, little did he know that tomorrow would never come for Brago… He just dreamed up whatever his young mind could, oblivious to what was coming.

:::-((x))-:::

Silver had just watched the best fucking match in the world!

He was so happy that Haku had beaten Aaron, but he was excited about how he went about it. Haku Tekani was a wind mage that used tactics and his brain to win fights other than her pure brawn, which was also impressive.

The wind mage had been entered into the Grand magic games against Aaron who used some form of fire magic, naturally he was winning as he had also used kinesis magic too to keep Haku away from him and he gradually increased the temperature around her.

Haku must've known that her magic would be inefficient against his so what she had done was very clever. Haku had stalled Aaron at every opportunity she had and why she was stalling him was because she was slowly making a massive ball of crushing air above the fire mage. The air would end up knocking him out before he could destroy the oxygen in the ball.

That was what happened exactly…

And the older devil slayer was pumped that he had won the bet against Jades father…

But before he could activate his communication lacrima to shout down the other end to Barton (Jades dad) that he won loudly, bellowing roar pierced the air harshly, Silver dropped the lacrima and looked out of his window and he paled at what he saw.

One of the nine demons of Zeref.

Deliora…

:::-((x))-:::

So are you pumped?

I thought not… -_-

Remember this will take a LONG ASS time to complete so strap in.

Also after I write a few more chapters I will start writing the side story, one of many I should say.

TRIVIA TIME!

1: Do you prefer the anime or manga version of shows?

I like the anime more, even though it means Gray gets dicked over. But I just refer to my choice from fairy tail so chose whatever you like. :)

2: What is your favourite hobby?

I like complaining and writing these things.

3: Can I ask you a question?

I cannot sorry, but I can too! Ohh mind blown!

By the way, RANT TIME!

Episode 81 season 2 of Fairy tail…

You cannot say that the studio and Mashima like Gray after this bloody chapter. That was Grays moment and they took it away from him and gave it to laxus. We get it! Laxus is super strong and can take a beating but we honestly didn't need this fight! It wasn't done well and was pretty boring to watch, Laxus was turned momentarily into a blonde Natsu!

Mashima did say that he wanted this before but surely he saw how well the fandom took it when they saw Gray get SOME spotlight to showcase his new power before the big fight! But No! Yet again Gray gets dicked over for a character that barely shows for a few seconds every 6 to 10 episodes! Sure laxus is cool, but he honestly didn't need this rematch, he won last time as Tempesta cheated to hurt him!

I wouldn't be surprised if Mashima takes away Grays finishing blow in trade for Natsu doing it! He has taken away plenty of other Gray spotlight moments so he may as well go ll the way!

It is bad enough that he might pair him up with Juvia, but to make him look less than he is is just asking for fans to under-estimate him!

Am I the only won annoyed about this!?

Overall, dick move Mashima! Dick move!

RANT TIME OVER!

Thanks for reading.

Stay cool,

-viperhat


	3. Exposed: Two

Hello fellow clumps of somethings…

So, the exposure mini arc is moving on to it's second chapter. Deliora is practicaly on Brago's front door and Gray is bloody sleeping!

WTF!?

let's see what happens…

LETS READ!

:::-((x))-:::

"GRAY!, GET UP NOW!"

Gray had no idea what was going on, at one blissful moment he was sleeping and having a rather lovely dream and the next he was frightened out of said dream by his fathers loud shout piercing the silence that not only ruined the silence in his room, but it also scared the ever living shit out of him.

Sleep was still affecting his young body as he groggily got to his feet to then hear the roars that emanated outside of his room.

To say that he was now wide awake would be perfectly correct right now…

"W-What was that dad!?" he winced as he heard the fear in his own voice, he had no idea what was happening and he hated being scared. The sooner his father told him what was going on the better in his opinion.

"JUST GET DOWN HERE, NOW! QUICKLY!"

He hurriedly dashed towards his closet and slapped on his black gear, this time putting on his more flexible black cargo trousers and his Black long sleeve shirt with the usual steel toed boots. He knew that whatever had got his father like this was dangerous so he also put on his leather jacket and gloves before he rushed downstairs to his frantic father.

Silver saw his son and got onto one knee. "Okay, listen Gray." His tone was hard but worried. "You have to get out of here now. Go and get jade and run, as far as you can! You understand right?"

Gray looked at him with apprehension. "Just tell me what's happening Father!" he couldn't keep his voice from cracking as he spoke. "W-Why do I need to run? Why are you scared? What's happening?!"

His father didn't answer and quickly shoved him through the door. Gray was about to ask him again but when he turned around he stopped half way when he saw the massive body of what looked like a demon.

As the demon blew up another house the light from the fire lit up it's ugly face. Gray's eyes widened when he realised that the demon that was attacking his town was the demon he had researched on during his training: Deliora.

His attention was taken away from the demon and back towards his father when he grabbed his shoulders and roughly turned Gray towards him.

"Run. Run and do not stop running! Not even if you are tired! If you must you can grab Jade and her baby brother before getting out of this village okay!?" After seeing the demon and the destruction it was reigning he now understood his fathers panicked words. But he knew that no matter how powerful his father was he would never be able to stand up against a demon of Deliora's calibre.

If he was planning on fighting he would die…

but he also knew that Silver was stupidly stubborn and wouldn't take any chances on his safety. Arguing was useless.

The look in his fathers eyes was enough to send him sprinting away from the house just as it was struck with the crackling blast of roaring fire.

He felt bad for leaving his father, but Jade and other people were still out there and they were in just as much danger as he was. He used that one thought to drive his body to jump over high piles of burning wood and tinder and duck under the multiple fire blasts from the giant demon.

Although, he did get burned a few times. Not only that but he had also bad cut up slightly from the sharp pieces of shrapnel like wooden splinters, but his friends house was now in sight and the trek had only made him realise just how far Jades house was from his. He had been running at full sprint with his magic backing him up for 10 to 15 minutes, Brago may had been considered a small town, but it was still colossal in comparison to many.

Gray had just experienced that fact fully…

Quickly approaching Jades home he could just about see the figures of Jade and her baby brother in her little arms as she cried out in desperation. His eyes went wide as saucers when he saw Clint and Ayumi Trapped under lots of burning rubble. Unfortunately, Ayumi seemed to have been pierced through the heart by a massive chunk of what used to be the families roof, killing her almost instantly.

Clint didn't seem much better. His legs looked burned to a crisp and he seemed to be sacrificing his hands to keep the bigger portion of the blazing wood from falling on him completely. Gray felt horrible for the man he had come to respect as his friends father and knew that he was not going to be able to get him out alive. Tears prickled at his eyes at the thought of his friend losing her family like this.

Steeling his nerves, he decided to help as much as he could first. He rushed in, surprising the two and startling the baby before he encased his tiny hands in gauntlets of purple ice before grabbing the rubble Clint was holding up and lifting it high enough so Jade could get him out.

Unfortunately, Demon fire pitted against a kids Devil ice was just as effective as there non magical counterparts, meaning that rubble was slowly burning his hands. Gray grit his teeth in agony just as Jade had helped her father out of the rubble. Gray let it go before he let out a low growl, signifying his pain for the three to hear.

"Jade..." He growled insipidly, the fire had done a slight number on his hands.

"Gray… Please help me! My mum is dead!" She cried loudly, tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. "I don't want to lose my Dad to! I can't take care of little Macbeth on my own! Please, just help him!"

He knew he couldn't spare the time. Deliora would probably bring whatever was left of the house down upon them all. He could see Clint looking at him from behind Jade, he seemed to know what the little boy was thinking as he nodded weakly which Gray mentally cried harder for the decision he was about to make, Jade would hate him and would probably leave him forever.

Gray knew this yet he knew that he would rather have his best friend and her brother alive and after his blood instead of dead when he could've done something.

His resolve to save her forced his body to make the decision he made, grabbing Jade and her little brother (who he now new was called 'Macbeth') in his arms and dashing out of the house just before a massive stream of fire engulfed the Preston household, destroying it in mere seconds as the few remaining supports caved in on Clint.

Gray could hear his friends cries and screams and thought what he had done to her and little Macbeth was unforgivable, even if it was with the purist of intentions. He could feel her fists pounding his back as he ignored the slight pain from her and continued to rush through the town towards the mountains. Reaching them minutes later.

The heat could still be felt, even from Mt. Hakobe. Gray no longer felt Jade's fists hitting his back as she had given up a few minutes before hand. He gently put her down along with Macbeth and turned around to go back for his father before he his legs were forcefully buckled from behind him, a pair of hands pushed his head into the snow roughly and he looked up in time to see Jade's fist connect with his nose, breaking it and making him cry out from the pain and shock.

Her enraged, hate filled glare hurt more than her fists though…

"YOU BASTARD!" he caught her fists in his hands and froze his nose over to numb the pain. Jade struggled in his grasp but wasn't able to break it, he was just to strong."YOU LET HIM DIE! MY DAD NEEDED HELP BUT YOU JUST LET HIM DIE IN A FIRE!" Her tears seemed to mock him at his loss of companionship as they rolled harshly down her face.

Gray looked at her, the fear and pain had finally got the better of him. "He was dying Jade!" He started loudly, sadness and anger clear in his voice. "I couldn't do anything for him after that rubble fell on his legs! He would've died from his injuries eitherway, I'm sorry but that is what would happen!"

He shoved her back roughly, making her fall into the snow. She had given up on fighting him and had traded it in for glaring at him hatefully.

He just looked at her, quickly calming himself and letting guilt seep into his soul for shoving her and being indirectly responsible for her dad's death. "You saw the fire that took the house down right? If I had tried to help him not even my ice could've stopped the fire from killing us. I am not strong enough. I may never become strong enough" He ended before roughly wiping some of his tears away.

Jade didn't care…

"I hope you die, you- you cursed child! Go and DIE!" She said before taking him by surprise and kicking him down Mt. Hakobe, Gray screamed as he slid down the snow, he tried to create something, anything! But he was sapped of energy. He had not gotten much sleep and was still drained from the day before. He closed his eyes and sadly accepted his fate, but as he hit the ground he realised that he could open his eyes and see where Jade had kicked him down. His breathing grew heavy, Jade had tried to kill him, in a fit of rage but still. Not only that but she had resorted to calling him the one thing that bullies had used to break him once upon a time. Hearing it now wasn't much of big deal but from Jade?

It hurt… A lot!

Little did he know that that was the last time he would see Jade Preston for a long while. His first true bond of friendship now shattered and torn apart like a piece of used tissue. Gray remembered her words, her face and her latest action and he vowed to never trust anyone fully ever again. After that he could never let someone get close again, he wouldn't allow anyone to hurt him like that again.

Even if he expected it…

Suddenly, the dark smoky sky was lit up by a massive sphere of fire, it shone brightly and looked like a miniature star in it's own solar system, but Gray quickly realised that said star was heading straight towards him.

'Shit, Father!'

:::-((x))-:::

If you had told Silver that he would be fighting one of the demons of Zeref to keep his town from being destroyed completely he would've laughed heartily, before freezing you and chucking you on the next train to Stransted village.

Now… Well, he would've thanked you and prepared to fight ff the overwhelming demon.

"Ice devil: Rage!" He shouted and a torrent of biting cold ice and snow shot towards Deliora looking like it would hit the monster back. Deliora however just swatted the blizzard away and sent a big ball of fire at him.

Silver reacted by summoning a massive hammer before swing and knocking it up into the air and towards Mt. Hakobe, he smirked grimly, Baseball skills should be kept in to grounds of the game, not used to save his own life.

Using the momentum from his previous swing, Silver launched the massive hammer at Deliora who tried to counter by letting out a long, drawn out breath of fire. But the hammer didn't melt in time and connected with the demons head, sending him back by two steps before regaining his balance. The demon roared in anger before stomping his foot to sending an expanding path of fire towards Silver who was now on the ground.

The slayer grinned and jumped high enough to escape the inferno's path before creating a disc of ice over the fire to land on. His smirk quickly turned into a gape of fear and shock.

Deliora had sent another stream of fire towards him right after the ground stomp, Silver had no time to react and quickly realised something before he was sent into the inferno.

He had been tricked… The demon had not only been strong, but he was also very smart and clever with his fighting.

And he knew that as soon as he had jumped up to get away from the attack that he had been a goner. He fought back tears of shame, he had failed to stop Deliora, he had failed to save Brago, he had failed to even stall the demon.

But he had also failed Gray, his son…

He knew that as soon as he felt the flames lick at his pale skin as he fell through the first layer of the fire. His skin was peeling from the heat and his vision was fading fast, he hit the ground only to be impaled in multiple places by the rubble that now littered the once great town of trade.

'I guess I will be part of the sombre scenery' he thought bitterly. 'I'm sorry Grayson.'

And with that thought, his vision started to finally black out, he only got a glimpse of the ice stopping the fire before disappearing and the lone figure of his son running up to him franticly.

Silver Fullbuster was now dead…

:::-((x))-:::

"DAD! DAD!" Gray shouted at the corpse of his now late father. He grabbed his body in his arms and shaking him roughly, trying to wake him up, as if he was not dead but dreaming.

"COME ON! STOP PLAYING AROUND! WAKE UP!" he shouted, hoping he would get some sort of reaction, He didn't want to lose his father, not now.

"Please… just do something, anything!" Hugging his fathers head, he rested his chin on top and cried. The fact was starting to set in, His dad was dead, Silver Fullbuster, his father and mentor, was dead.

"Please." He gave one last try and not getting an answer once more.

His world had now become black. He had lost everyone in the shortest space of time possible. He would never see Jade again (Nor did he want to now), he would never play his guitar or piano again, he could never help Mr. Wright with his fruit stall ever again and he would never have anyone close to him again.

He was alone…

One soul in a sea of corpses and cinders, of smoke and burning flesh.

One worthless soul who shouldn't be alive…

Suddenly, he heard the roar of the beast that had taken the light from his darkness. He quickly found his magic and somehow felt his magic reserves grow and multiply to hold the amount of anger and hate that had started fuelling his magic.

Deliora would die a painful, slow death.

Getting up and slowly trudging towards the colossal demon he felt his aura freeze the nearby area as he sucked in a heavy breath to stop his even heavier breathing.

He let his breath go with the most enraged and demonic sounding shout that even surprised him by how scary it sounded.

"DELIORA!"

He had caught the attention of the foul thing and he wasn't going to let it attack first.

"ICE DEVIL: DEATH SICKLES!" He slashed his right arm forward and three big Scythe looking icy weapons zipped to Deliora before he could respond, the scythes ripped into the armoured chest of the demon, making him roar in anger and pain.

Gray followed up by freezing the demons hands to stop his next attack. He started to run towards the demon and glared at him.

"ICE DEVIL: BLIZZARD FISTS!" He jumped and formed a massive fist of ice around his hand and he slammed it straight into Deliora's face, he grinned in sick pleasure when he felt the bone cracked from the force.

Before Gray could do anything else however he was batted away by the demon and he crashed through a few sheets of plywood and the occasional pile of rubble before he stopped. He formed a massive disc in the air and he threw it at Deliora, he grinned as it got closer.

But then all of a sudden, Gray felt all of his strength leave him, all of his magic dwindle back to the point where he was empty again. His eyes widened in horror as he saw the disc evaporate in the jet of fire that was heading towards him.

"N-No! I won't let you win!" He formed an insipid shield in front of him and got ready to try and attack again.

But the fire melted through his ice and engulfed him, just like his father.

But then as he felt his left side burn up he also saw the piece of rubble near the stream dislodge itself from the pile and get sent flying towards him.

The rubble in question then pierced his left eye, rendering his left side blind, forever…

He was blinded, he was half blind now, he was half. Fucking. Blind.

The thought of that threw his resistance to scream in pain out of the window as he let loose the screams of pain he had kept in for those few seconds.

The scream was blood curdling, painful and drawn out until the fire had died out. He fell to the ground and on his back as he watched from his only functioning eye as Deliora walked away. Tending to his minor wounds.

That was it…

He was going to die…

Here, in the town with every other poor soul.

What was worse was that he welcomed it. He welcomed it with open arms and a massive hug. That cursed demon had taken away everything and he had been partially responsible for poor Clints passing.

He looked up from the ground and saw his left side was burned, not black, but there would be many scars, thin little cool looking scars hopefully, He had to look good for his own burial. He didn't deserve a good burial, he killed Clint and failed to avenge his father and the village folk for there deaths.

He finally lost the strength to stay awake and he passed out in the middle of the once bustling and busy road of Brago, awaiting his untimely death.

But little did he know, fate wasn't done with him yet…

:::-((x))-:::

(2 days later)

"Hey master!" Shouted a young silver haired boy to the older dark violet haired woman.

"What is it!?" She called back. She felt bad for the many corpses of what was once Brago. What could her apprentice have found?

"I think I found a survivor!"

Ur Milkovich's eyes widened as she rushed towards her young apprentice and what she saw could've brought tears to her dark eyes.

The sight of her apprentice leaning over the broken and battered form of a young boy, he had a big blue tattoo like rune on his right arm and he had raven black hair. But his injuries were horrible, his entire left side was covered in painful burns and his left eye had been all but wrecked by what looked like a piece of sharp stone.

He must've been bleeding bad, she saw the dried blood around his toned form and it was like a big puddle.

The poor kid…

"Lyon." She muttered sadly. "Freeze over his major wounds, we are taking him back to ours." She ordered and the silver haired boy reacted accordingly.

This act of kindness and charity from the stranger had started the next chapter in Grayson Lee Fullbusters life. One he would come to appreciate soon.

:::-((x))-:::

The last chapter of the mini arc 'Exposure' will be next.

A LOT of stuff happened in this chapter and I feel like I have rushed it. But if you guys enjoy it then cool.

Also, I know that Silver would have put up more of a fight but when I wrote the fight you saw, he had been fighting it the entire time we were with Gray. He got tired and made a mistake, albeit unintentionally.

And by the way 'Chemical Violets' owns the name 'Grayson Lee' Of Grays full name. I meant to give the author credit last chapter but I admit to my shame that I forgot about it.

So I do apologise Chemical if I messed up. I would advise reading Chemicals stories. They are very cool.

No pun intended. XD

PHRASES OF AWESOME!

1: 'CHRYSANTHEMUM!'

Warning: sexist joke!

2: 'The difference between a girls argument and a knife is that the knife has a point.'

3: 'The best laid plans are of mice and men…'

Thank you for reading and the rating will go back to M in 9 chapters. And also stick around for the new side story 'One's perseverance', another Gray based story.

Stay cool,

-viperhat


	4. Exposed: Final

Hello…. Is it me you're looking for?

 **Why yes viperhat it is and I have been looking for you so I can beat you up!**

What? Why?!

 **You update too bloody slow! When you first started you were cranking out a chapter at least once a day, now you take almost a week or two to actually get something out!**

I'm sorry! I just have trouble driving the stories I make forward.

 **Too bad!**

Does this chapter calm you down somewhat?

 **Yes…**

Really?

 **NO!**

(? Beats viperhat up)

…

…

…

…

Yes folks, that just happened… ow...

But welcome to the last chapter of the 'Exposure' mini arc. I am sure you guys know where I am going with this story now. If not, then I am going to go through each arc of the FT show with alterations and added content from yours truly.

But after this chapters release, 'One's perseverance' will start going under construction. It will be awesome!

But here is the chapter for you all.

LET'S READ!

:::-((x))-:::

(2 weeks later)

When Gray woke up he instantly realised the pounding headache that was currently batting his brain around in his skull like it was a baseball. The glaring light didn't help matters either, making him instantly close his eyes.

That was when he realised the most frightening change…

His vision was cut in half.

His left eye was all but destroyed because of Deliora. He inwardly shuddered, the mention of his name brought back the painful memories that cost him his eye.

The thing that had not only taken his eye, but also his village, His friend, his family… Fear started too rise within him ever so slightly. He had underestimated the demon and he paid the price.

Groaning in pain he attempted to get up from where ever he was only to yell out in pain as he felt the entirety of his left side burn up. He could almost see black dots around his vision as he went rigid to stave off the pain.

After a few seconds, he gently lifted his head up, wincing slightly from the pain around his neck and his one working eye widened in terror.

He barely managed to see it because of his reluctance to cause himself more pain. But he saw the entire left side of his body. He saw various cuts, gashes and the entirety of his left side was just one big 3rd degree burn.

He was going to have many scars, hell, maybe they won't even heal completely at all!

But he couldn't take his eyes off of the bone sticking out of his left arm. It was charred, chipped and most importantly, broken.

He suddenly felt moisture on his nose, he lifted his finger up and found out seconds later that they were tears. The tears became more frequent when he realised that the left tear duct didn't work anymore.

The finally he realised something…

He wasn't on the streets of Brago, he felt a soft pillow under his head and when he looked closely he could see what looked to be medical equipment lying on the side in a glass box with a keyhole on the right side of said box.

The it struck him that he was in some sort of room. Looking at the picture of two people on the walls he deduced that he was in SOMEONE'S room.

It hit him like a freight train… Literally.

"WHAT THE OOOF-! He clenched his teeth when he landed on his chest, the burn angrily hiss at him as he tried not to scream from the agony afflicting him.

Steeling himself, he slowly got up and saw a black cane leaning against the far wall. The women in the pictures didn't look like a cripple, neither did the boy. Was it for him?

Stepping forward, he instantly regretted the action as he had accidentally moved forward with his left foot… It was then when knew that if he was even going to have a chance at finding the people who brought him here he was going to need that cane.

He decided that the best course of action was to hop along towards the cane instead of trying to tough out the pain. He wasn't going to be able too anyway.

"AH! Ooooh, shit!" He could feel his body protest and tense with pain every second he moved.

Slowly moving towards the cane, he reached out his arm to grab it. But as soon as he was within touching distance of it the door next to it opened harshly and a figure with silver spiky hair rushed in, not realising that the patient was behind him.

And next to the door he must've beat open…

"UGH! FUCK!" The door slammed straight into Grays face. He felt his nose break with a 'crunch' as the door knob collided with him.

Reeling back he hit the back of his head on the wall and fell to the floor. Landing on his back and yelping in pain as he felt some of the scabs dig into the red flesh painfully.

The boy in front of him turned around and looked at him with worry.

"Oh god! I'M sorry, wait here and let me get Ur! She can help you!" Quickly darting out of the room Gray hoped that whoever this 'Ur' women was could actually help him. He felt like shit.

:::-((x))-:::

Ur Milkovich was many things…

She was strong, abrasive, warm hearted or stern. She could also be super bloody annoying when the time called for it.

Recently however, after finding that kid in the ruins of Brago, lying on the scorched ground charred and near death she was more protective and anxious. Her past had a slight part in that particular reaction but if anyone had come across the body in that condition then she was sure that anyone would be scared stiff or sad at the sight.

'I wonder when he will wake up…' was the most common thought racing through her mind as of late.

It was at that precise time when Lyon had decided to bolt into her room, running up to her and shaking her from her stupor. The look in his eyes was one of shock and worry.

That could only mean one thing…

Looking at him with worried eyes she asked him the million jewel question. "What going on? Is he awake?"

He shook his head but remembered that he had a voice, a voice of which he could use at any time she wanted. "Y-Yeah, but he was awake when I came in and he got hit by the door!" Her eyes widened at the news. What happened?!"I think he has broken his nose!"

Well shit…

"Come on, lets go!" Ur ordered and the two quickly ran towards the room where the new kid was in.

She could here the groaning already…

:::-((x))-:::

"Oh god… The pain..." He couldn't help but whimper as he held his partly scarred nose, trying to prevent the bleeding in anyway he could. However it was easier said than done when one of your hands are scarred and the nose has tripled in the terms of how much blinding pain it could inflict.

Gray honestly didn't know what was worse, the fact that he was possibly scarred for life or that he was probably going to have trouble breathing through his own damn nose now.

Then again, that was probably the nose bleed being an asshole…

Despite his attention being focussed sorely on his nose, he had heard the door open with a click this time instead of a whoosh which was followed by the cracking of his nose.

Looking up; he winced at the pain of his burns being stretched but he also saw a women walking towards him tentatively. She looked to be around her forties or late thirties and was wearing what seemed to be a training top covered by a beige coat that stopped at the top of her stomach.

That was all he could see from there as he required his other eye to see the top side of the room. Unfortunately, he was laying down sideways and he just so happened to lose his eye however long ago.

Just encase he forgot…

The women had finally reached his bedside and gently tried to move his arm away to inspect the damage.

But as much as Gray hated to admit it, he was slightly scared. He had witnessed multiple life changing events in a few minutes and his trust in people had gone down the loo after one of those 'experiences'.

So his reaction spoke for him when he was too swallowed up by fear to speak verbally.

Thankfully, the women seemed to realise his anxiety and quickly retracted her hand away and waited for him to calm down enough to talk. Which she wasn't entirely sure if he could.

It felt like hours had gone by when in reality approximately ten seconds had gone by and Gray knew that he was going to have to show some sort of cooperation if he was going to be left alone.

"Hello there..." Her voice drifted through his ears and instantly he could hear the softness and the care she seemed to carry through those words. He relaxed a tiny bit.

After steeling himself, Gray answered replied back warily. "Where am I?"

She smiled, he could talk. "My home." She replied back. "Me and my apprentice found you and brought you here since there wasn't any hospital nearby for many miles."

"Oh… D-Did you find anyone else alive?" His voice had never sounded pleading and pathetic, he hated it.

The way her light smile dropped into and sad look of sympathy said enough for him to understand the answer before she even uttered a word.

"No… I'm afraid that you were the only survivor."

He gazed into her eyes for a bit before his defences crumbled and he just turned away a silently sobbed. His grief hadn't had the chance to surface and it forced him to let it out now, whether he wanted to or not.

If the scars littering his small body wasn't enough to prove it her words were more than enough to seal the deal. His village was truly gone…

His house…

His room…

His father…

Everything. Everything. Everything. Everything. EVERYTHING!

He had nothing left! Nothing! Not a single bit of his life was left. It had all been charred and turned against him, and he was left with a void of dark nothingness overwhelming his senses and bringing him forcefully into the harsh reality.

It made him realise the one thing he had left. The one thing he could still use his pathetic, cursed and fucked up life for before he willingly allowed death to embrace him.

Deliora…

The thing that took everything away from him was the one thing he had left, the one thing that he needed to tie up. The irony was as thick as his tears and he did not find in anyway amusing.

He knew what he needed to do now.

He needed to kill Deliora, he needed to hear the demons cries of agony. He needed to see it's blood spill to the floor like a waterfall of evil. He needed to feel the bastards head come off as he brought his icy blade down on the base of the demons neck and severed it from it's shoulders.

He needed it. He wanted it.

And he would have it.

He would have sweet vengeance. He would take the utmost pleasure in skinning the thing alive. He would smile with glee as he slowly stripped the demonic flesh from it's bones. And he would make it happen, whether or not the piece of shit wanted it.

He would send it straight back to hell.

Where he would promptly join him. It was what a cursed child like him deserved.

After he gave in to his anger and pain, he opened his eyes and turned towards the sad women, who's arm was laying comfortingly on his shoulder.

"can you tell me your name kid?"

He voice almost startled him as he forgot that human being had the wonderful gift of sight. He looked her over with his working eye (his right) before coming to the conclusion that she only had the best intentions for him.

He wasn't sure why she would. If she knew that being near him was a bad for her health maybe she would have left him alone forever, but funnily enough.

He didn't want that to happen, even if he did at the same time…

"Whatever… G-Gray."

"Gray? Nice name, i'm Ur Milkovich and as long as you are under this roof I will look after you as much as is possible, that's a promise." Her statement made him flinch.

"Please… Don't make promises you cannot keep." He teared up ever so slightly again. She was one of the first strangers who has treated him nicely, he was slightly annoyed the she wanted to help him other than let die, he didn't want to drag anyone other Deliora with him.

He simply wasn't worth it.

:::-((x))-:::

(3 months later)

Gray had never thought that a shower could feel so god damn good. He smirked slightly at the refreshed feeling he felt after taking his first shower in what was four months. Well, three months and a half.

He was told of his coma before he woke up to find himself in the room that day. After Ur had fixed up his nose she had left to tend to Lyon, who was his age if slightly older, and had spiky silver hair that looked ridiculous on him.

She had come back an hour later with some food for him, advising him kindly to eat up so he could regain his strength. Which he did and did what could have been compared to stuffing and grunting having a child and the child was what he was doing for the next three weeks.

Well, that was the routine for those three weeks…

She would wait for him to wake up before carefully rubbing in some medical cream into his burns and scars before she handed him something to eat. Lyon would come and talk with him, which would end with him and the silver haired mage having a verbal duel before Ur would force her apprentice out so he could get some rest.

Then, after he decided to trust her and Lyon enough. He informed them of his Ice devil slaying magic which shocked Ur and made Lyon jealous when he just ate the ice he spawned up to test it out.

Then he puked and groaned In pain when he remembered that his body was still recovering from the battering it took.

The good thing that happened on that day was Ur offering him a chance to learn Ice-make magic alongside Lyon. Which said ice mage complained about him already having magic already.

" _Lyon, remember what I told you last month? You can have more than one type of magic. In fact you should always have at least one or two back up types of magic you can fall back on."_

Listening to her knock the smug ice bastard down a peg was very amusing to watch in his professional opinion.

Then… The day came where he could finally walk on his own two feet again. He had regained the full use of his leg back to the point where a cane wasn't needed but he did fall down a few times from where he expected to feel immense pain.

However, as soon as he could walk he had started to walk away from the home, he had an entire village of people, friends and family to bury.

Ur understood and offered him help. But he refused, he needed to do this himself.

She also understood, albeit reluctantly. She told him the direction of his old village and he began to make his trek towards Brago.

'What's left of it' He thought bitterly.

It had taken him a good two hours to make it to Brago. The snow had preserved the ruins and the bodies and since the snow only relented once a year for three days, the bodies and the ruins would continue to be preserved for a long time.

He remembered it being morning when he had finally buried the last body. His father, Silver Fullbuster, the one who had gave him the best seven years of his life and the one who had sacrificed himself for those who were less able than himself.

He could never be like his old man, he was just too great of a person to be mirrored by his offspring. No he knew that he would never be able to be respected or powerful nor did he deserve it.

But with his fathers body buried, The devil slayer let the empty tears fall as he shovelled the snow and earth over Silvers body, making him one with the earth and becoming forever invisible for those who were greedy enough to rob this once great town for goods.

He hadn't realised at the time just how long he was there, only when Ur and Lyon found had he found out that he had been gone for at least two and a half days.

He had been brought back to the cabin in the mountains where he robotically entered his room and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

That was everything that was really memorable, today he was finally going to be able to use magic again as his body was fully healed by now.

He walked out of the bathroom and into his room where he looked into the mirror, his eye gazed over his scars and barely there burn marks that littered his left side. They travelled all the way from the top half of his leg to his head, just missing his hair by mere inches.

Then his eye caught the black eye patch that was covering the onyx, foggy eye that no longer worked. He had gotten used to his new lack of depth perception, the eye didn't really look as bad as many would think, it was easy to see the healed cut but all that had changed was the fact that his left was now like looking into a black mist.

He sighed in disgust though, Here he was looking over past afflictions whilst Deliora was still out there, killing innocent people and ruining more lives than just his own.

He went over to his new wardrobe and pulled out a pelt leather waist coat, a universe blue long sleeve silk shirt with two dark brown stripes going from the top left side of his chest to the bottom right side of his waist, a black vest, a pair of black, flexible cargo trousers and a pair of black combat boots.

He saw the pair of black skin tight leather gloves and grinned before grabbing them too.

He slipped the clothes on and looked back in the mirror and felt ready to take on the world again. But today was a good day for another reason.

Ur was going to start teaching him Ice-make magic today.

Whilst he knew that his devil slaying magic was way better, he remembered Ur scolding Lyon by telling him how useful having another type of magic was.

And the thought of making anything that his mind could think up, instantly instead of waiting for his devil ice to form it was just way too tempting.

After today, Gray knew that his life would be forever changed, in what way he had no clue.

But for now… He had a new place to call home, and a new goal to reach.

And he would make the absolute most of it…

:::-((x))-:::

What a shitty ending for the first mini arc! Apologise…

But stick around for the first arc of Trials of Ice. A new home, a new goal…

And also remember, 'One's perseverance' will be the next story to be made and the first side story to this, obviously not part of TOI.

I am afraid that I do not a a TRIVIA TIME or a PHRASES OF AWESOME today as my brain is fried but it will return next update.

But I have a favour to ask of you.

I am very bad with summaries, you can tell by the summary of this. I need suggestions for a summary for Trials of Ice because the one now is horrible and I bet you guys agree with that.

Remember that this story is going to follow Gray through the beginning of his life (which you have seen) To the end of the Fairy Tail canon (Currently the 'Alvarez arc') With many alterations to his character and others.

Basically it is a rewrite of the canon, an M rated version. (Chapter ten will be the final chapter to have the T rate).

Sorry to bother you guys with this but I do need help with those and I would appreciate the help. Thank you.

Stay cool,

Viperhat


	5. Re-adjusting: One

Sooo…. Here we are!

Before we go any further I want to know what you thought of One's Perseverance. Tell me what you liked and disliked so I can make better for you when I get too the next chapter.

But that aside, welcome back To Trials of Ice and here we start on one of the first main arcs of the story. This obviously revolves around Gray's training and his time with Ur, Lyon and anyone I deem fit for this arc.

I am pretty sure you guys knew that this was the arc for Ur and such so I feel fine with giving that away…

So here we go…

LETS READ!

:::-((x))-:::

It was cold… Bitter cold…

Not the sort of cold from his old village where it felt very numbing, but the sort of cold where you could risk your life if you stayed in it for too long.

That was Gray's first thoughts whilst travelling up towards the top of the mountain. He was told by Ur to meet her at the top of the mountain along with Lyon. She said it was where he would begin to develop his new magic.

He had no problem with that. Lyon and him however had been a bit… argumentative…

They had a slight competitive conversation everyday during the time the devil slayer was recovering, always talking about who's magic was better than others and such. But now that Gray was now standing on his two legs again his and Lyon's relationship became more… Physical.

Not in THAT way… But in terms of punches and kicks becoming their most commonly used language. Even over actual English!

One would make a comment, then the other would overreact before they were in each others faces, spitting out many insults within a few seconds.

And that was the case now. The two mages left the comfortable embrace of their home and began too trek up towards Ur's location.

Now since Gray was an ice devil slayer he did have a slight resistance to the cold. But in temperatures like this his little resistance was minuscule in comparison to his silver haired counterpart.

He shivered slightly. "It's so goddamn C-Cold! How can it e s-so bloody cold!?" He felt the urge to sneeze as he said this. His nose had always been annoying too him in the weather when it was this bad.

"Get over it demon breath." Lyon snidely commented. Effectively making Gray bite back, Any sign that he was cold vanished into thin air.

"Don't tell me what to do Ice bastard!" Was his oh-so-clever retort. God this kid annoyed him.

"Then stop complaining scars!"

"Stop calling me Scars! I hate that!"

"Then stop bloody complaining!"

"Not until you shut it, freezer burn!"

The two mages heads connected to each other. Willing the other to back away but neither faltering. They were growling like hungry wolves that had spotted a fresh, meaty corpse.

Suddenly, two fists were brought down on their heads, knocking them face first into the snowy ground beneath them. They both landed with a sudden 'THUD'

"Ow..." Was all Gray replied with, his young yet masculine voice muffled by the cold snow.

"Can't I leave you two for just a few minutes?" Asked an exasperated Ur. Her head was shaking in disapproval at her students antics.

Lyon shared his rather 'nice' opinion…

"Perhaps you could have before, but with this idiot here not only do I have to go through everything I already learned, but I also have to put up with him!" He whined, all whilst pointing at the still prone form of Gray.

Not wanting to let the silver haired twat to get one over him, he quickly interjected.

"Now look who's complaining..."

He received a painful whack to the head for that…

"Will you stop hitting me women!" He yelled in annoyance.

Ur just looked towards him and gave him a stern look. "Only when you stop antagonizing him! That goes for you two Lyon!" She replied, remembering to give her first apprentice a good whack as well.

That made him smirk a tiny bit. Even if he didn't really smile that much anymore…

After regaining her composure, Ur motioned the two to follow her to the top of the mountain. It did take the trio five minutes too get to the top but they did indeed make it up without much more trouble.

Turning around, Ur nodded towards Lyon and looked at Gray.

"Okay Gray, this is where you begin you're journey to becoming an ice-make mage." She stated. "This first lesson will just be getting you used to the unrelenting cold around you. I have found that the best way to advance as far as you can with this magic is too become one with your element. So that is what this lesson is about so get ready."

Gray gave a curt nod and was about to reply when Ur started taking her clothes off in front of him, he must have not realised it before but she was in the process of taking the brown trousers off when he realised so she was left in her underwear.

To say that Gray was shocked was a MASSIVE understatement…

"W-WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?" He shouted in shock.

"I am becoming one with the cold, this is what you will be doing today… So get to stripping."

'Okay that only sounded vaguely creepy…' Gray thought. He turned around to Lyon for some backup only to realise that he was also undressed.

"OH COME ON! YOU TOO!?"

Lyon just smirked at his clear distress. "Yup, it is part of training to become the best from the best. So what master Ur said, get to stripping..."

"B-But I can't do that!"

That made Ur frown in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Another snide comment from Lyon. "He means he is a scared ass loser!"

"I DON'T MEAN THAT!"

Ur asked the million jewel question. "Well then what do you mean?"

Looking down to the ground Gray hesitantly answered.

"My scars…"

Ur suddenly knew what he meant, how could she forget? He was a terror victim, of course he was going to be both scared and ashamed of his physical afflictions. It would be natural for a boy his age.

Especially when the kid was as intelligent as he was. He had not been in the house for 5 months yet and she could already see just how smart he was in comparison to Lyon, from a magic and logical standpoint.

"What do you mean 'My scars'? Quit whining devil breath." Snarked Lyon. He didn't understand what the big fuss was about, they were just stupid scars.

Gray's face darkened from hearing this, gritting his teeth he mustered up a powerful glare before aiming it at the silver haired ice mage.

"Shut up you silver haired bastard." He growled out, his voice taking on a slight demonic tinge in his anger. Freaking the two mages out.

Ur knew she had to intervene before the two started fighting with eachother. From the looks of it, they were more than ready to throw down at any moment. But what Lyon said was uncalled for, he needed to be punished for that comment.

With her game plan in mind, she whirled around and stalked over to Lyon before bringing her fist down on his head with a heavy 'thump!'. She watched as her first apprentice smashed into the ground before she pulled him back up and levelled him with a glare that stopped him before he could complain.

"Lyon, go back to the house and stay there, you are not to go out until the day is done. Gray has no reason to explain himself to us and he has a right to grieve!" Her tone left no room for argument. The ice mage looked at her and then to Gray's hurt and angry expression before frowning in annoyance and turning back towards the house. His form disappearing in the mist the further he got.

Moments passed when Ur finally sighed and turned around to Gray. His face was scary for a child, his eyebrows may as well have been knitted together and his teeth were bared for the world to see. His eye were focused on the ground, as if it was the most interesting thing he had ever seen.

It was both scary and sad…

Seconds later he realised that Ur was still around and he shook his head slightly and wiped his eyes of any tears.

"Sorry." He spoke, his voice losing the demonic tinge it had seconds before.

"It's okay, you had nothing to be sorry about there." She replied. "What Lyon said was wrong, he isn't as intelligent in these sort of things as you seem to be, so just remember that next time. But he shouldn't have said what he said however..."

Taking everything his new master had said, he nodded and turned back to the mist where Lyon had trudged away in.

"These scars represent what I have lost." He brooded sombrely. He looked back at Ur after two seconds. "If I am to learn under you're tutelage, I will need to need something to hide these disgusting afflictions so I can concentrate and look towards the future."

Ur smiled softly, the boy really was smart… Damaged and probably scarred (physically, mentally and emotionally) for life. But smart.

"A future where Deliora dies painfully by my hand."

Ur's smiled quickly dampened at hearing that. The boy would not survive long with that frame of mind, this 'darkness' would surely destroy him.

She would have to do something about that…

She WOULD do something about that in fact.

Over the months, she had grown a kind of soft spot for the poor kid in front of her. She could see a lot of her younger self in him and the things this boy had to endure in duration of his life would make him a very strong young man in later life.

But with the possibility of a good path, also comes with the darker, more malicious path. A path that would surely destroy him. Ur didn't want to watch it happen again and this time she had the opportunity to put a stop to it before her personal history repeated itself…

With all of that in mind, the master ice mage made her bed.

"I'll see what I can do to get you some sort of concealment charm. But focus on the future Gray, not revenge as tempting as it is."

And now she will gladly lye in it…

She watched as the young boy nodded his head stiffly at her words, clearly not entirely convinced yet.

"But you know that I have seen your scars. I will never judge you because of them." She said tenderly, being careful not to say the wrong thing. "So don't worry about me seeing them, if Lyon wants to say something about them just ignore him. He is still young."

Gray looked confused. "He's older than me."

"Not mentally, that much I can say is truthful..." Ur responded, as if it was obvious.

That made him smirk,

"So let's get to your first Ice-make lesson then right?" She asked.

She watched with bated breath as Gray looked on ahead into the snowy sky, clearly in deep thought. The snow seemed to pick up as he continued to stare seemingly into the atmosphere. He was clearly taking every last detail and possibility into account.

After what felt like an eternity, he blinked and looked at her, his mouth slightly knit upward to show a slight smile.

"Sure… But only around you two, I don't want others seeing these damn things." he answered.

He began to remove his black gear, his waist coat, his shirt, vest, gloves, trousers, socks and shoes and shivered ever so slightly at the biting cold gnawing at his skin, causing goosebumps to appear.

"Ready to learn… Master."

Ur grinned, she had a new apprentice and she couldn't be more happy. He would not regret this decision, she knew it.

"Right, now first things first." She started. "I want you to think of a shield. Picture a body sized shield clearly in you're mind."

:::-((x))-:::

That was cool wasn't it?

Haa puns…

So… The first chapter to the 'Re-adjusting' arc. Was it worthy of reading, or was the quality less than satisfactory. Let me know…

PHRASES OF AWESOME!

1: 'Ooooh Kinky!'

2: 'I don't know why Lady C sounds like a dying T-Rex. It must be something about how she looks…'

3: 'When your parents tell you to clean your room when you are having guests over, don't you just want to say "Oh, I didn't know that we were holding the gathering in my room, my bad! Yeah, me too.'

Thanks for reading and stay cool,

-viperhat


	6. Re-adjusting: Two

What is up bro and bro'ettes.

...That doesn't even make sense.

Right now just before we delve into the this chapter I want to make a few things clear just incase anyone is feeling confused about this story and the differences within it.

I cannot brain or English today apparently…

 **1: Gray was originally 8 when Deliora destroyed his village/town. In TOI he is 7 instead. A full year younger, as is everyone else.**

 **2: Obviously Gray didn't have Devil slayer magic before the tartaros arc, in TOI he starts with it.**

 **3: Lyon isn't an idiot, as much as he looked like one in the previous chapter. He is a full year younger and is still learning, as is Gray.**

 **4: I have a reason for how events have turned out, and the extra year is a great opportunity fo awesomeness to occur.**

 **5: For the Galuna island arc, I will not be showing too much training. That arc was made better due too many reasons, one of which was the training flashbacks.**

This probably won't help you as much as I would like but bare with me. I have trouble remembering shit and I do forget how to 'word' things at times.

But anyway…

LETS READ!

:::-((x))-:::

(1 month later)

"Ice-make: Tidal wave!"

Gray grinned as he watched the massive wall of ice crash towards his opponent. The tidal wave was his third ice creation that he had made and the way it worked was very simple…. For him at least.

He had found out early on in his training that there were two types of ice-make. They were static and dynamic. Obviously, static meant that the user could make immobile objects whilst dynamic meant that the user could make objects that could move on their own, via the order of the caster of course.

His tidal wave was a mixture of the two, whilst he found out that he was gifted in both types of ice-molding he was generally more talented in the static side of the magic.

So he used his dynamic talent to make an artificial sea of ice appear from behind him and envelope him and the opponent and then the static part to keep the thick layer of ice in place. The technique was pretty good for knocking the opponent back and temporarily stunning them, it also did some moderate damage to the target so that was a welcome addition too.

The best thing about it so far however wasn't it's knockback capability nor was it it's sheer attacking strength for someone his age… But just useful it was to annoy the hell out of Lyon.

"God-dammit Gray!" He shouted as he tried fruitlessly to avoid the rapidly incoming attack before settling for making a gorilla to shield him from the onslaught of ice.

The gorilla lost it's battle against the tidal wave much Lyon's annoyance, he needed to turn the tide before Gray could get a winning strike on him. He could not allow the newbie to beat him when he had been training with Master Ur for years.

"Ice-make: Eagle!" he shouted.

Gray saw the flock of icy eagles fly out of the hole he had made and quickly formed a pretty, circular, smooth shield with multiple layers that got smaller the closer it got to the centre. It kind of looked like a very short and blunt drill-head.

He didn't take into account that the eagles would just fly around the magnificent structure…

"Ah!, bastard!" He half growled half yelped as the first eagle hit him, shattering on impact.

Gray quickly back-flipped away from the next two and leaned back to the ground to avoid the next three. He used his supporting hand to push himself back upright before he sidestepped the last one and grabbed it.

He took a quick bite out of it and let loose a torrent of lances, his first creation, towards the silver haired ice mage. He dispersed his shield, now realising that it was useless and Stuck his hand out to fire a volley of cylindrical, icy bolts at Lyon, who dodged most of them.

Unfortunately, the few lances and bolts that struck were enough to both knock him on his ass and make lose focus for a short period. Enough for Gray to restrain him to the ground and form a pair of ice cuffs, or what looked somewhat like cuffs around his little wrists.

"I win..." He heard Gray gloat smugly. He refused to allow this however, he managed to muster up enough strength to get his legs under the raven haired boy and kick him a few feet back. Lyon stood up and glared at his self-proclaimed rival.

"Shut it, droopy eyes! I would never lose to the likes of you!" Was his reply. Gray looked unimpressed though.

"Continue if you must, but you are not getting another chance to attack me dumbass." Gray jumped into the air, and brought his leg down on Lyon's head, Or so he thought.

His opponent had jumped back, his hands still cuffed before he unleashed a flurry of roundhouse kicks and his self made 'canonball kicks' at him. Gray pushed his hands into Lyons feet to block his attacks before he grabbed one of them at last. Lyon was tiring out and he was unable to react in time as Gray pulled his leg over him, forcing his body into the air before he was ungracefully slammed face first into the snowy ground beneath him.

This time, Gray would let him fight anymore. "Ice-Make: Prison!"

A jagged, poorly made prison was formed above Lyon and dropped on him at a very quick pace. Gray cursed the horrid looking structure, he was still trying to get a clear picture of his limited creations and it was harder than he originally gave it credit for.

But the fight could have been SOO much harder if Lyon remembered his multitude of Ice creations he had over him, That was Lyon's advantage over him at the moment, That and Ice-make experience, if he just remembered his creations he could levelled the playing field during the fight. It was too bad that he focussed more on trying to embarrass him than using his much better looking and more vast array of ice creations to gain the advantage.

"Well done Lyon, Gray." The two mages looked over to their overseeing tutor and Lyon gave a confused frown whilst Gray gave a curt nod of the head. "For you're first time sparring Lyon you have shown a great aptitude in your combat skills despite forgetting you're advantages…."

Lyon looked somewhat appeased by the compliment and somewhat put off at the criticism, but since it was Ur he would take it to heart, Gray knew that much.

Speaking of Ur, she looked at him and gave a pleased smile.

"You on the other hand Gray." She started. "You have only been given a month too further yourself both under my instruction and your own devices, but you have already improved to the point where you can fight and beat someone who has been practising Ice-make for three to four years. Albeit, someone who is slightly forgetful at times." She said as she gave Lyon a little grin, to which he huffed at, blushing slightly in embarrassment at that.

"I didn't mean to forget, I just wanted to show that I am better than him." He said indignantly, whilst pointing a finger at Gray, who gave a teasing smirk… As usual, it looked dark, dim and dangerous. Never genuine unless it had something to do with training.

Keeping his smirk up he gave Lyon the finger before replying. "Hasn't Ur ever told you that it is rude to point, asshat?" Just as he finished he received a smack to the head from Ur for his language. "Again woman?! Stop it!"

Ur just whacked him again…

'This women is insane…' Gray inwardly lamented. 'Either that or she has a weird obsession with hitting me around the head.'

As if reading his mind, Ur looked at him sternly. "The sooner you stop referring to me as 'Woman' and using that language I will stop hitting you. It isn't that hard you know."

'Not when you're surrounded by crazy people...' Another glare. 'Jeez, is she a mind reader or something?!'

He looked away. He wanted to improve on his Devil slaying magic, so he made that clear to Ur and she told him that he could use the top of the mountain to learn, as long as he was in his underwear for the training.

He caved in eventually and began to make his way up towards the mountain top, on the way there he had a little laugh about Ur's blunt command to strip. If they were in a town full of people and they heard that she would be titled the biggest pervert in the world.

"Ah that would quite funny to witness I must admit…." He spoke to himself. 'I dear, I must be going crazy…'.

Before he could further prove that case, he found himself standing in the centre of the mountain top. With his T-shirt and coat discarded a few feet away from him.

'Huh… That's worrying…'.

He flexed his young yet muscular body before taking off his trousers and shoes and chucking them next to the two pieces of clothing.

He was about to take off the ring Ur brought him when he remembered his scars and he very quickly forced it further onto his finger before shaking his head of the scar based memories. The ring itself wasn't anything special, just a thick silver ring with a circular crest surrounding a cut sapphire that seemed to not stop twinkling beautifully.

He wasn't impressed by it, but he was eternally grateful to his master for the ring and it's concealment charm. The thing did wonders for hiding his scars, he looked like he had never been burned to a crisp by Deliora in the first place!

He moved away from the pile and moved back to the centre of the grounds, he closed his eyes and took a few deep breath's before opening his eyes again and letting his training commence.

He used his dynamic ice-make to create five ice clones who would fight him and he moulded them in positions that would surround him. Soon they were fully created and were as realistic as he could make for the time being.

They would be able to attack him and they would only get back up when they were brought down so he would have to be constantly alert and ready to fight.

Just like his father taught him…

Gray allowed his aura to freeze over the already frozen ground and air and he launched himself towards the ice clone in front of him, he grabbed it by the armpit and the throat before he choke-slammed it into the ground.

He felt two ice clones behind him, ready to attack so he used the momentum of the choke slam to cartwheel away from the two in time to avoid their sharp blades of ice.

"Ice Devil: Cutting edge!" he shouted and two sharp, white blades of ice shot towards the clones who unfortunately jumped out of the way in time. But the clone behind them was cut to ribbons from the precise incisions the ice blades gave it.

"Hmmm, I guess I will have to let loose and fight with my fists a bit more..." He said to himself, he gave a dark grin towards the lifeless clones before he rocketed towards them at a near blinding speed.

The real fight was about to begin…

:::-((x))-:::

Lyon was having a bad day…

First was waking up to to find a spider beside him, causing him to squeal in a very high pitched tone, which lead to the incessant teasing the was inevitable after.

Next, trips and falls down the final two steps on the stairs and lands on his back at Ur's feet. Her amused grin would forever haunt him…

And last, that demon bastard beat him In their sparring match Ur had set up to test them with. He must have cheated of course, no one except Ur could beat someone as good as he was.

The only thing he got a kick out of was watching Gray hiss in discomfort when they had their ice bath's, and that was becoming less frequent and he was getting used to them these days.

Overall… Just a shitty day all around….

"Lyon! I need help in the kitchen, get in here and help if you may!" He heard his master command from the kitchen. He sighed and skulked towards the kitchen and saw Master Ur balancing bowls and jugs with her hands and he swore that she kicked something onto the counter before he came in.

"Oh! There you are." She said hurriedly, she was obviously struggling to keep everything off of the floor. He was sure that floor food was not as good as actual food. "Could you please take some of this off my hands and back onto the counter?"

"Yes master!" he said loudly and ecclesiastically before taking some of the jugs and bowls away from the walking danger zone and placing them on the counter opposite them. "Do you need me to put some stuff in the oven?"

She pointed towards the tomato soup and the beef stew and he obliged. It took the two a few minutes to organise the food and get ready to be eaten and all the while wondering what Gray was doing. He had been gone for a few hours now.

After a few more minutes Ur had enough of waiting and was slightly more worried looking. She was obviously hoping Gray would come back soon.

Then he came back…

The two watched him walk towards the table, they had almost finished the bowls and Ur looked slightly manic. But her face from manic to relieved to confused.

The devil slayer, looked at the two with slight confusion, was his ring charm not working or something?! He looked at his left side with some difficulty and saw no scar from what he could see.

He sat down awkwardly before taking a spoonful of the soup. That was when Ur finally cracked.

"Gray?"

"What…?"

"Why are you shirtless?!"

:::-((x))-:::

Oh dear… the stripping habit makes itself known!

Poor Gray, the things he will suffer because of it. XD

But this chapter was a bit everywhere in my opinion but if guys liked it then I don't mind it. I blame Gruvia week… YUCK! Makes me gag just uttering the godforsaken phrase!

TRIVIA TIME!

1: Cookies or cake?

Cake… always cake…

2: Would you rather have Gray fight Invel with Lyon and Juvia or without them?

I know that Gray can beat Invel without the help of Lyon or Juvia. Juvia would just be a hindrance and Lyon would help somewhat but would be taken out rather quickly. I mean, you can't have Natsu almost beat Zeref which I thought was a bit of a cop out BTW and have his best rival struggle to fight the weaker enemy, it would such bullshit if it happened that way. The same goes for having Lyon and Juvia there.

3: What is you're favourite type of humour?

Well… Don't get angry but I like offensive humour… I am a big Roy Chubby Brown fan after all. But crap humour makes me laugh too.

But cheers for reading and stay cool,

-viperhat


	7. Re-adjusting: Three

A true testament too offensive humour…

What do we want?

A cure for tourettes! (Spelled right?)

When do we want it?

C*NT!

… Yes, offensive humour for life…

By the way, this main arc will not be too long… But it will be more than 7 too eight chapters at the very least...

You guys liked the last chapter a lot more than I expected, cheers, that is genuinely nice. :)

But your not here for the sappy stuff (are you?)…

LET'S READ!

:::-((x))-:::

(1 week later)

This new habit of his was starting to piss him off…

Since last week Gray had been losing his clothes more and more often as the days went by. Sometimes it was just a few T-shirts or coats that went missing, Ur would find them and return them to him as soon as she could and that would be that.

But then there those times he had freak her and Lyon out when they caught him walking around stark-bollock naked. Ur would loudly screech at him for walking around naked as he would desperately protest until he looked down as Lyon would give him a disgusted sneer o a mocking grin.

He would even let a little comment slide and he knew that Ur couldn't exactly disagree with how consistent this new habit was becoming.

The worse thing yet though was the fact that there definitely wasn't a charm for his stupidity…

He was currently sulking in the ice bath when Ur entered. Telling him that it was her time to use the bath and he complied, getting out of the bath and taking a towel with him. He was just about to exit the room when he heard Ur speak to him with a teasing edge too her voice.

"Don't forget your underwear this time eh?" She let out a chuckle at her own comment before she sunk into the tub.

"Shut up! I-It's not funny!" Was his protest. It didn't do much to stop her giggling.

"I can't agree with you there young man." She said before doubling over in the tub from the painful laughter.

It was at this point Gray looked down and saw that he was definitely forgetting something. "SHIT!" He cried in shock. "When did this happen!" he searched desperately for the hidden underwear to no avail.

In his panic, he did forget about his towel, which only made Ur throw a bar of soap at his head which hit with painful accuracy.

"Will you stop hitting me women!"

"Turn around and pick up your towel! You cobblers are not what I want to see you know!"

"What do you me- AH!"

Yelping like a 3 three year old being tickled, he quickly realised that to keep himself alive he would have to cover himself…. And fast!

Luckily; he found the towel near the door and he wrapped it around himself before he darted out of the room and into his room to find some clothing.

This was all Ur's fault of course…

:::-((x))-:::

"Remember you two, you can't just will your magic too work for you!" Ur was getting a slight headache from Lyon's constant babbling and Grays snarky comments. She was going to end up hitting one of them soon. "This is a very advanced form of ice-make, it isn't like constructing whatever you can mentally make up. This is body augmentation and this could be very dangerous if you mess this up!"

Gray, whilst making comments still seemed to get the gist of it, she knew that out of the two Gray was the one she was expecting to pass. But maybe Lyon had understood and she didn't catch on.

Gray looked sceptical about something. "How can we be sure that we won't just melt as soon as we augment ourselves?"

Ur smiled at his question, he was perceptive…

"You don't have to worry about melting unless you are either dying or under VERY intense flames. And I cannot think of something that could melt you, this isn't magical ice in the sense of it being purely magic, this is organic ice." She answered.

"Could you give us a demonstration?" Asked Lyon…

Ur thought it over for a second, it was very dangerous even for expert ice-make mages. But if she was as good as people thought she was then these two would have no problem using the magic without much danger, probably…

"Okay, but don't expect to do this on your first try Lyon, you too Gray."

"I didn't think that in the first place..."

Ur looked ready to hit again. He shut up quickly.

Ur held out her arm and the two two students looked on, one with shock the other with amazement as their masters arm turned too a crystalline blue, icy hand. She stuck the hand into the ice below the three and the two were wide-eyed when her hand hand disappeared into the ground.

Suddenly, Lyon let out a squeal of terror as he something grab his feet and trip him over. Gray looked down and saw their masters hand sticking out of the ground. He was freaked out to say the least, Ur was stood over 8 feet away from the two.

He saw Ur smirk and he felt a chill go down his spine from the deviousness that the smirk held.

Then he saw a shadow creep over him, turning around he was greeted by a gigantic slab of ice, he backed away but he hit something, turning around again he saw another slab of ice, this one with his name engraved into the side.

Then he remembered his devil slayer magic….

Grinning, he took a bite out of the ice and felt satisfied when he heard his master yelp in shock. Clearly, she felt that but not painfully. Well hopefully not…

He watched as the massive chunks of ice retracted into the ground and he saw Ur's hand re-emerge from the ground. She gave it a little rub to ease the discomfort from the bite, but it had seemed to have healed right away.

'I guess I under-estimated ice-make' Gray thought, impressed at just how powerful this magic truly was. It certainly had a charm to it that his own magic lacked, but he knew that he was still better with his own.

But as Ur said all those months ago, it Is always handy to have an extra magic to fall back on…

"That was another advantage of ice-augmentation… You don't have to speak to use it and you can not only make yourself stronger, faster and even more sturdier, but you also gain unrestricted control of any icy elements in your vicinity. Even going as far as to turn your entire body into organic ice and jump into a pool of ice to jump out of another."

'I definitely under-estimated this magic.' Gray was more than shock by what the true power of ice-make held. 'I guess you really can do everything your mind could dream up, very nice.'

"Man, the was scary..." Lyon muttered as he stood up, Gray couldn't help but huff.

"Impressive? Yes, but scary?… Not so much icy bollocks." He laughed before he felt a hand smack him in the back of the head, he looked back to see a hand disappearing into the ground.

'Really? You are using THAT now women!' He thought bitterly… He heard Ur laugh from behind him and he turned around to see her widening grin.

"Again Gray, language."

"And again, abuse!" He mocked. He earned another slap to the head for his troubles.

"Quit it!"

"You quit it!"

"I said so first!"

"Well im older than you so I have more weight behind my words!"

"Then stop abusing you age you dinosaur!"

"Are you calling me old!?"

"No! I am calling you ancient!"

"Right! That's it! Come here you brat!"

"NO!"

Soon the two were having weirdest fight Lyon had ever seen. His master was chasing the devil slayer around with some sort of broom or spade whilst he just ducked, dived and swerved out of the way each time, only annoying Ur further. He just decided to go back to the house, grab a bite to eat and forget this situation ever occurred in the first place.

"STOP MOVING AND FACE YOU'RE PUNISHMENT LIKE A MAN!" He heard Ur shout as she took another swiped at Gray's ankles. She of course missed again…

"STOP TRYING TO HIT ME THEN YOU PRUNE!" Was Gray's loud reply.

Hopefully, they would learn more tomorrow than how dangerous the augmentation side of Ice make is.

But he had to hand it to Gray (albeit grudgingly), if it wasn't for him he would have never known about this branch of ice-make…

But Gray would never hear him say it out loud.

Before he left however, he couldn't help but shout over his shoulder. "GO ON MASTER UR! SHOW HIM WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CALL THE MIGHTY LYON ICY BOLLOCKS!"

:::-((x))-:::

"You started that!"

"How did I start any of that?"

"You know damn well how you started that young man!"

"Oh yes! I asked you why because I felt like pissing you off!"

"I knew I was right!"

He heard the sound of a flesh being smacked together, he turned his head slightly too see the two mages finally back after the big argument/fight they had just had.

"I was being sarcastic!"

"Well stop being sarcastic!"

"Then stop hitting me in the head every chance you get!"

"Then stop using that foul language on Lyon and me!"

"What? My native language? I am sorry but that is the only language I know!"

"You know what I mean!"

"No, I don't…."

"UUURRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!"

Lyon saw Gray's smirk as their master retreated to the kitchen in an angry huff. She was clearly irritated by the boy in front of them and couldn't take listening to his crap anymore. Not that he blamed her.

"I win..." Gray taunted just loud enough for Ur to hear it, the response was the frying pan that had previously been on the hob being chucked out of the serving hatch and colliding with Gray's head, subsequently knocking him out for the time being.

The sheer stupidity the transpired was too much for Lyon to hold in as he burst out laughing at the devil slayers expense.

"That'll teach him!" He spoke, his stomach in pain from the laughing. Ur couldn't help but share a little laugh too. She had never lost it with someone like that before. She got her temper in control before she reviewed her actions before concluding that humour was the only outcome for Lyon.

But somehow she didn't think Gray would share the same sentiment…

She decided to be merciful and told Lyon too take him to his bed. Though she had to say it four times before he actually budged, moving over to the unconscious slayer and hoisting him with some difficulty, onto his shoulders, purposefully making it uncomfortable for him as he slowly made his way too Grays room.

:::-((x))-:::

Ur Milkovich had no clue how one boy could be so smart and nice whilst also being the biggest asshole and annoyance in the world. It seemed almost everyday where Gray would have a complaint or would just try to piss her or Lyon off.

It certainly didn't help that Lyon mostly had the same intentions towards Gray…

But she also had fond memories with the boy too. One's where Gray felt like a surrogate child like Lyon had felt like for the last few years.

But with that in mind she also couldn't help but let her mind drift to earlier memories, like her husband leaving her and her baby only too never return. Her husband or ex-husband; Rez Milkovich had left her and little Ultear when Ultear started showing the early signs of her overwhelming magical problem. It was something he couldn't bare to deal with and the two had been on bad terms for a while before her symptoms began to show. So when their late daughter started showing signs of illness he took it as an excuse to leave them to their doom.

That was the day Ur realised the true darkness that her world held and how willing and dangerous it truly was.

With that in mind, she quietly trudged quietly towards her room and shut the door behind her. She walked over too her bedside draw and opened the top draw before she pulled out a picture of her beautiful little girl.

She had taken after her mostly, the only thing that little Ultear had taken from her father was his nose, which fit her perfectly as much as she didn't want too. But the most stunning thing too Ur was her child's eyes. Her eyes being naturally dark she was used to having pretty eyes, but her daughters just blew her away. The onyx pools drew her in so much and she used to love every moment of it.

But when she found out about about-

It was the mere thought of it that broke her every time…

Crumpling to the floor she held the picture of Ultear to her chest and started to softly cry, she knew that Lyon was a heavy sleeper and that Gray's room was too far away to here her so she felt safe enough to let her happy-go-lucky façade brake tear after tear.

Her beautiful Ultear…

All of a sudden, her door was opened ever-so-slightly and she whipped her tear stained face around to see the figure of one of her students standing their in shock from seeing her in this state.

But Lyon never had his hair THAT messy, so it had to be…

"Gray…?"

:::-((x))-:::

Another chapter down, another shit-ton to go… XD

But poor Ur, I gave her the worsed husband ever and I am enjoying her suffering because I am a sadistic and evil bastard.

Someone put a stop to my evil before it is too late!

PHRASES OF AWESOME!

1: 'You know that song that goes like uhhhh; naa na na na NA Naaa na na na NA Beom beom beom beom bwuuuuwwoooowwwwmmmm? Yeas me too….'

2: 'The wife told me to win the baby so I kicked him right in the bollocks!'

(I do not a have a wife/girlfriend so just know that I was acting)

3: 'if you combine a can of red-Bull with a Fierro rocker you get the golden snitch. MIND BLOWN!'

Haaaaaaaaaaaa…. Funny….

Thanks for watching and stay cool,

-viperhat


	8. Re-adjusting: Four

WRECK THE TREE AND BLAME THE DOGGIES FA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA!

WE WISH YOU A SHITTY CHRISTMAS, WE WISH YOU A SHITTY CHRISTMAS, WE WISH YOU A SHITTY CHRISTMAS AND A CRAPPY NEW YEAR!

My Christmas carol's for you lovely people… Enjoy…

So in honesty this is after Christmas, but I felt like taking a little break since it is a holiday in technicality. So Ha!

But…

LETS READ!

:::-((x))-:::

(20 minutes earlier)

Gray Fullbuster groaned as his eyes slowly opened. His head felt like it had been hit with a frying pan, then he inwardly scowled when he remembered how he ended up unconscious in the first place…

'Bloody hell Woman…' He thought as he rubbed his sore scalp, feeling the pain slightly ease up on torturing him.

He looked to his left and just about saw the silhouette of the lamp in the darkness of his room. Reaching over and switching the it on he sat up and absentmindedly looked around the cosy bedroom of his as he got his current thoughts in order.

'Okay; first: I allowed myself to be tutored by a crazy ass woman who finds pleasure in hitting me every few minutes.' he rested his head on his hand as he remembered Ur hitting him. 'I also have too put up with her arrogant and annoying apprentice who has some obsession with beating his master' Smirked at remembering him getting hit over the head when he tried to start fights with him. He loved waiting Lyon get punished, but he didn't like his too much. 'And finally, I have realised that this Ice-make magic has many more advantages over my own than I originally gave it credit for.'

The events of earlier came to mind and he grinned at being able to start learning that branch of Ice-make. Thankfully, him and Lyon recently managed too keep their rivalry outside and gave eachother a hand in improving their skill in Ice-make.

He remembered when Lyon tried to get him too teach him a bit of his devil slaying magic, only too find out that it was inherited.

:::-((x))-:::

" _Hey! Ice bollocks, over here!" Gray shouted over his shoulder as he skimmed through one of the books titled: 'The_ _Basics_ _of Ice-make' by Seraphim Black. He didn't learn too much from it, but it helped him with improving his visualization when moulding his creations. Just for that alone he was eternally grateful._

 _God Knows his 'creations' looked like ass…_

" _Quit calling me that,_ _Two-face!" He heard Lyon call from the other side of their masters library. He scowled angrily at the nickname gave him the finger as he saw him waltz towards him._

" _Call me that again and I will trash you in our spar tomorrow you platinum ponce." He retorted. Lyon rolled his eyes._

" _You wish Scrooge, now what did you need?..." He asked and instantly Gray stood up and chucked the book to him, making him stumble when trying to catch it before it fell to the floor._

" _I need to get another book, any suggestions?" He asked as Lyon glared at him._

" _Well before that, stop throwing books at me o-"_

" _That will never happen..."_

" _Shut it, and secondly, go to the fourth row and look go to the right. I think there are some interesting books there that I never checked." He explained as he walked away._

" _You never checked? And you have been with miss. Crazy for how long?" He asked._

" _She could beat you without a sweat." He retorted with pride._

" _You forget the part where I can swallow up anything she throws at me… I could win any day of the weak."_

" _Psh." Lyon waved his hand at his rival. "Speaking of your magic, how do you learn it?"_

" _Hmm?" Gray raised an eyebrow. "Why?"_

" _You heard me. How do you learn that slayer magic?" He asked again. He clearly hadn't researched the different types of slayer magic's._

" _My magic is inherited…. "Gray answered with a mocking grin. His grin soon turned into a pursed line at Lyon's confused frown. "I mean you can't learn it as you were not born with it." He said with resignation. Lyon's eyes widened and he pouted._

" _Oh come on!"_

" _Don't 'Oh come on' me. It is what it is..." Gray laughed at Lyon's miffed expression._

" _But still!" Despite himself, Lyon was somewhat relieved about that. He didn't want to just learn any sort of magic, even if the magic in question was immensely powerful. No, Ice-make first. Then he would delve into a back-up magic of his choice._

 _He wanted too personalise his magic. He sought Master Ur out for the reason of wanting to learn Ice-make. It was something that embodied him in a subtle way. Like Ur. Hopefully himself one day._

 _Gray? Well that was up to him…_

 _:::-((x))-:::_

The moment Lyon asked him that question he grew a tinge of respect for the silver haired mage. Regardless of the intention behind the question he had swallowed his overwhelming pride and asked his rival about his magic and if it was possible for him to learn.

That moment defined Lyon for the devil slayer…

Suddenly, he was brought out of his little self-made trance when he heard sniffs coming from a few rooms to his right. 'Who the hell could Lyon be sniffing in their?' He thought, the sniffs didn't sound like the usual sniffs from the cold or the crazed addicts from Brago. They were slightly sombre, somehow…

After two minutes the sniffing turned into silent crying, and he quickly realised that it wasn't Lyon. His eyes widened as he knew that since there were only three people in the house/cabin it only left one person.

"Ur?..." He said quietly, still frozen to the spot where he sat. He listened for a few more seconds when he finally decided that she was genuinely broken about something. Her Nonchalant grin and proud aura was a slight cover up.

And he couldn't listen to her sadness emanate anymore….

He made his decision and got up from his place on the side of his bed and he grabbed a pair of black long pyjama bottoms and he made his way towards Ur's room. He walked up to the door and pushed it away from him, allowing the light from the hall to wade into his masters room.

His eyes gazed on his masters shaking form. He saw her arms clutching at something and hugging it to her chest, as if it would disappear the moment she let it go… He was gazing upon her little moment of weakness and he felt like an intruder stepping into strictly forbidden territory.

Her body froze as the light reached her and she slowly turned around to meet his gaze. Her tear stained brown orbs meeting his onyx ones.

"Gray?..."

:::-((x))-:::

Regardless of whether or not human could smell outside emotions they could definitely feel them. That was the case when Ur could feel Gray's hesitance too speak, the fact that he looked to be trying not to do anything to set her off again made her mentally smile. He really did care, despite his apparent lack of feeling which made him look slightly eerie sometimes.

"U-Ur?" He stuttered quietly, as not to wake Lyon up. "Are you okay?"

She shuffled around to face him and she saw his eyes look down towards the object In her hands. Instinctively, She tightened her vice-like grip on the photo as he continued to stand in shock.

"Ur?..."

"C-Come over here Gray..." She replied finally, beckoning him over as she wiped her eyes of her tears.

He tentatively walked over to his master and when he was near enough She quickly enveloped him in a bone-crushing hug, almost making him yelp in surprise. He felt moisture hit his head and new that she had started crying again. He wanted to struggle out of the uncomfortable grip she had him in but as she continued to crush him she had unknowingly dropped the object she was previously clutching to her chest. It turned out to be a picture. The picture depicted Her, some guy who held her closely, and a baby that she held in her arms. She seemed happy, the baby was reaching out with it's little arms towards Ur and the guy seemed to be about to laugh at the babies antics.

'Is this a picture of Ur's old family?' Gray thought, he suddenly felt compelled to allow this painfully tight hug. He now understood if the picture was what he thought it was.

But the way she was holding that picture…

He didn't know why he did it, but when he saw that picture he felt bad for her. As much as he complained he really did appreciate her hospitality and he realised just how much the world they lived in loved to ruin the nicest of people…

He hugged her back…

:::-((x))-:::

As the hours passed, The devil slayer and his master got up from the floor and sat on the side of her bed. She had picked up the picture and sat down next to him before she showed him the picture.

"Here." Ur handed him the picture. "The baby in the picture was mine. She was my everything after my husband left me." She explained sadly. Gray had a bad feeling that there was more to it than that. He didn't hide it well apparently as Ur smiled and went on to explain about Ultear, Rez and the terrible affliction that gripped her baby. She told him about Rez leaving as soon as Ultear was diagnosed and how her life went down until Lyon came along and gave her a new purpose.

"If he hadn't come too me, wanting to learn, I-..." She sighed… "I don't know… What would I have done? Probably be some constant angry hermit woman who screams at the people who passed by."

"I think you would've been fine..." She looked at him with wide eyes. "You seem like a strong person… And I think that if your baby, Ultear was it?" She nodded numbly. "Well, is looking down on you I bet that she is super proud."

Ur was a good judge of character, she could see how someone was just from how they stood. She still surprised Lyon with how much she knew about him. But Gray had never shown this side to him before. Not a single crack in his Constantly annoyed façade seen in all the months he had been here.

But she felt her heart melt at this soft and caring side to him. He had always been wise in his own unique way, his words were simple but the meaning he held behind them was were he shined.

"My father always loved kids…" His young voice tore her away from her thoughts, she looked to her right and saw him look down with a wistful expression on his face. But it had a trace of anger.

"He would always go round to my old friend's parents house to meet his friend and entertain Macbeth…." Gray felt the lump in his throat bob slightly as his chest tighten at the mention of his father. "When that disgusting demon invaded he instantly sent me towards my friends house to get her and her baby brother away from the village." His hair fell in front of his face and Ur could no longer see past the thick black hair that reached the boy's nose. But from what she could see he was about to break down himself. "That was the last time I saw him alive… The moment I came back to the village I came across his charred and blackened remains."

He started shaking and he felt the first tear slide down his cheek, then another one and another. They continued to spill over his face until he was being held by Ur as he quietly cried his eyes out. The bottled up feelings he had kept in finally be freed. The Ice-make mage rubbed his back as the sunlight started to peak through her curtains.

Gray looked over her shoulder and he was surprised, where they up all night?

He looked at Ur and she nodded, knowing what he was going to ask. She watched him quietly tip-toe back to his room and smiled… He really did care, despite not showing it. She re-called the hours that Gray stayed with her to give her some much needed company and she was more happy than she had felt for a long time… This night showed many layers to the survivor of Deliora and she wondered if she would have ever seen him as he really is if she didn't break tonight.

Yes… Ur Milkovich was feeling good, despite not getting any sleep…

The time was somewhere around 6:00am or so. That was good, she had time for an hours sleep at the most, and as much as it would be barely enough sleep for anyone, she found that she didn't mind all that much…

It was worth it, in more ways than one…

:::-((x))-:::

Two hours later, Ur had her two students spar again… This time she was seeing some good improvement…

Very, very good improvement...

"Ice-Make: Freeze Lancer!" Shouted Gray, he watched his hands gather a powerful whitish-blue mist as three long, thick looking, sharp lances shoot out of them and fly towards Lyon. Unfortunately, just as they were about to hit, Lyon brought three of his seven flying dragons down and into the lances path, effectively skewering them and stopping any momentum the lances had. The creations disappeared and the kids backed away from eachother again.

"It's about time you used your creations for more than a flight show frosty!" He taunted… From the looks of it, it almost worked… almost.

Well, in reality all it did was mar his face with a look of annoyance as he made his remaining dragons fly nearer towards himself. This made Gray smirk, this may be somewhat challenging if he was going on the defensive… May be…

"Ice-Make: Ice wisp!" He thrust his hands out and a bunch of little segmented worm-like creations appear and rocket towards him as the two dragons circle around Lyon's out-stretched hands…

Quickly, Gray made a pair of icy gauntlets before hitting the ground. For a second nothing happened and Lyon grinned, thinking he was about to finally beat his rival for once. Then massive turrets suddenly rise from the ground and aim towards the wisps that were rapidly approaching.

Lyon didn't look so smug after the gargantuan guns appear. He didn't look smug as the devil slayer let loose on his poor defenceless wisps and he certainly didn't smug when the turrets turned their user based attention upon him and his orbiting dragons.

And even though Gray couldn't see because of the snow being kicked up, he was pretty sure that he wasn't looking smug as multiple chunks of ice started freezing him in place forcefully… He was pretty sure that it hurt a bit too.

"Looks like I win again, Yo- Waaah!" Just as he was about to insult his opponent He felt two appendages grab him by his feet, he looked down and saw two tentacles. But before he could do anything he was dragged under the icy ground and into a massive hole with his annoying rival standing a few feet away from him.

"I won't give you the chance to get up Devil ass!" He charged at him and tried to punch him in the head to which Gray responded by grabbing his fist and kicking him in the side, forcefully pushing him back to where he stood moments ago.

"Dammit..." He heard the silver haired boy mutter. He simply looked at him with a heated glare…

"Try that move again Ice bastard and I will not hold back any longer!" He stated warningly. Lyon just looked like he would laugh. Doubling over and laughing just as soon as he tried to stop them.

"You are holding back? Whatever, as if I would believe that shit!" He mocked. "Come on then scars, give me your best! I bet I still beat you!"

He let Gray stand up, but he discreetly formed some tentacles behind him. He watched as the tentacles slowly emerged from the icy wall behind his opponent and inwardly grinned, there no way his rival would out do him this time!

"Fine!" Hissed Gray. "But don't whine when you lose again, and your sitting on you're whiny ass complaining about me cheating again!". He pulled his hand back and thrust it into the side of the wall of ice before smirking at Lyons befuddled expression.

Suddenly, Lyon felt a block of ice smash into his head, he turned around to see what hit him but was met with the smooth solid wall of ice. "Try that again you bastard and I wi-..." His voice died out as he turned around to see his rival had disappeared. He knew that the hole was too deep and that his master was watching so in a panic he looked up to see if Gray was trying to get out of the hole when an icy arm grabbed him by his midriff and smashed him into the wall behind him.

He wheezed as the wind was knocked out of him and he tiredly swung his elbow behind him to hit Gray only to hit the solid ice behind him. Lyon yelped as his elbow connected painfully with the wall and froze up at hearing his rivals voice behind him…

Where his back was directly against the solid, icy wall…

"I did try to hold back, but you wanted me to fight at my best so you reap what you sow, freezer burn." Grays cold and confident tone bounced off of the icy walls and Lyon suppressed a shudder before his eye widened dramatically.

"H-How did you learn ice augmentation this q-quickly?!" He shouted angrily, he couldn't believe Gray beat at something else again! He was still struggling to turn his hand into ice, let alone merge with the ice around him!

"It's called practise you silver haired dunce, you should try it sometime." He laughed as he felt Lyon struggle against his vice grip.

But Devil slayer magic wasn't just a magic for killing beings akin to the devil, it was a permanent body augmentation. His natural strength, durability, reaction speed and agility had all been improved greatly since he acquired his gift from his father.

The curse resistance didn't hurt too much either…

"LET ME GO, BASTARD!" Yelled Lyon, he had stopped trying to get free and had started trying to destroy the ice his opponent inhabited… This made Gray chuckle a bit more.

"Let me show just how powerful I have become Squints…." He said in a monotone voice before pushing Lyon into the middle of the hole and punching him out of it and into the air with a giant icy fist.

He quickly filled the spherical hole up with ice again but he continued to grow the cylindrical ice tower into the air whilst punching Lyon with his enhanced strength when he got close enough to him.

The poor ice-make wizard looked on helplessly as two strands of ice circled the spire rapidly until they got Gray's hands and circled them. The strands had left a trail ice with icicles around the tower and his eyes once again widened in both fear and anger. Gray was just embarrassing him with unnecessary art work!

However; before he could do anything else he saw Grays fist punch away from the tower and into the sky again. But luckily for Lyon he was now far enough away to do some damage of his own. His body ached from the beating it just took but he was not about too let Gray win again!

"Ice-Make: Ice Dragon!" His hands came together for once instead and a massive dragon spawned under him. He grabbed the horns and rode it towards Grays ice tower, but the heavy snow blowing around in the dull grey sky made it difficult to navigate his way too Gray.

He briefly saw his master, staring at the two in awe. He felt smug at seeing her expression and was going to make her even more proud by beating devil dick Fullbuster.

And since he found her he knew exactly where his opponent was…

But when he finally saw Gray he saw him performing some weird contemporary signs and movements on the top of his tower. Confused he flew his dragon closer and decided to take him out quickly.

He raised his hands and started to fire ice bolts out of both of them towards him, but he just dodged them whilst continuing too perform his little routine.

But it was only now that Lyon realised that Gray had a white mist building around him, it was rising around him fast. But it wasn't the natural mist that the snow manages to make, this was a magical mist! An aura!

Whatever he was doing was going too be powerful, it could possibly beat him if he wasn't careful, if he was focussing on attack rather than defence then Lyon knew that he would stand next to no chance of beating him!

He had to take him out now!

"Ice-Make: Eagle Flock!" He shouted in a wary tone.

A magic circle appeared behind him and a massive miasma of icy eagle shot out of it for ten seconds before it closed up.

Lyon hated magic circles, Ur and Gray weren't required to use them so why did he need to use them to beat either one of them?! Magic circles as quoted by Gray were 'annoying, static fragments of flimsy runes and etchings that would be your downfall if you don't learn to forgo them'.

Lyon be-grudgingly agreed with that opinion…

He was brought out of his revere when Gray stopped moving and instead took too staring at the eagles with a focussed expression plastered on his young face. He was about to send another volley of eagles, but then he saw the magical aura/mist swirl above Gray before said ice mage's eyes lit up with an eerie blue intensity to them. He slowly rose his arms, seemingly unaffected by the armada of eagles being sent his way.

"Ice-Make: SNOWSTORM!" He bellowed…

The time between Gray bellowing and his eagles getting closer to him Lyon could swear that all sound had been momentarily drained from the world, as if the concept of sound was too much for the world to bear. The way the mute button had been pressed on the world felt weird to say the least.

But he only thought these thoughts because of what happened next…

No sooner had Gray shouted had a massive gale of wind appeared out of nowhere, almost knocking him off of his dragon and making him focus on stability than flying. The wind picking up was made even more harsh and unrelenting by the sudden influx of sharp icy shards that began to orbit around the massive area Gray had let the storm take up.

It was then Lyon realised how biting the cold was getting…

Gray must have done this on purpose! He wasn't effected at all due to the fact that it was HIS magic that was fuelling the terrifying storm and he was purposely making the air so cold that it was starting to make Lyon stiff at the joints the closer he got.

He looked at Gray. "W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING ICE BREATH!?" He yelled over the noisy wind, in response Gray gave him a confident grin before he dived off of his tower, plunging into the dark grey mist below them.

Lyon looked on in horror, did Gray really just jumped off?! HE would die if he hit the damn ground! "GRAY!" He shouted.

"TIME TOO LOSE LYON!"

He looked behind him and he gasped…

Behind him was Gray… Flying… With icy wings attached too his back…

He didn't have much time too do anything as he watched the Devil slayer rocketed towards him, moulding an icy lance in his hands as he closed the gap between the two, his newly made lance poised and ready to attack.

"Shit." Lyon had to pull up with his dragon before Gray impaled it, just barely dodging his rivals charge.

He turned around and made his dragon fire chunks of ice at Gray, who swerved around them and begun to charge towards him once again.

"Take this!" Shouted Lyon as he open the mouth of his dragon. "Ice-Make: Ice Beam!" He watched the beam of ice shoot towards Gray and he anticipated.

The Devil slayer knew he wouldn't be able to move in time, his wings were make shift and they were falling apart due to his poor mental imagery. But if he timed it right he could grab onto the ice bastards dragon and-… And…

'Well, I haven't made it that far yet.' He thought.

The beam of ice connected with his left wings, he grunted as control was taken from him and he was sent spiralling towards Lyon and his icy beast.

God he hated dragons…

He quickly dispersed his wings and grabbed onto the bottom of the dragon, almost slipping as he tried to grip onto the animated creation. After he got a firm grip, he turned his hand into ice, struggling slightly due to his multitasking and he stuck it into the icy beast…

Lyon however, had no clue and was once again looking below for his rival, only for a slab of ice to just out of the head on his dragon.

"What the-" His sentence died out as he saw the words etched into the ice…

' _This is where I win, Penis breath._ '

How dare that asshole call him such a phallic term! And how did he-….

Anger flooded his veins as he realised what had happened. That Devil ass had managed to latch onto his dragon. His only saving grace was about too be destroyed and he would be helpless.

He would lose... He would lose to his rival again…

And as he saw Gray emerge from his dragon using that bloody ice augmentation he knew that he could do nothing else but lose…

"NO!" He shouted in protest. "NOT AGAIN!"

He stood up and turned around, Gray's snowstorm spell almost making him lose balance as he tried to steady himself before be tried to punch him, to which Gray opened a hole in his icy chest and laughed as Lyon's fist went through it.

Gray then delivered a punch to his face jaw, knocking him off balance and leaving him open for Gray to run at him and dive off of the dragon whilst taking Lyon with him.

Gray felt like pissing him off more, he wanted to show Lyon that he was better than him and this would surely prove his point…

The two young mages continued to plummet towards the snowy ground below, they were moving fast, so fast in fact that the wide range of the Devil slayers snowstorm had been passed. The two were barrelling towards the ground in the normal grey clouds now.

As they were falling Gray had to block many punches from Lyon as well as deliver his own to no avail. He could see Lyon's wide, disbelieving eyes, he was scared, scared of losing again.

It just made Gray grin…

"Don't complain Ice pants!" He shouted as he threw another punch at Lyon.

"I will not lose to you scars!" He loudly retorted, trying to block Grays fist. "Just watch me!"

He was expecting a reply and he got one, just not in fashion he was expecting…

He watched Gray point behind him with a devious smile… He looked to where he was pointing and he almost pissed himself when he saw the ground closing in on the two very quickly…

Unfortunately, anything he could have done was impeded by Ice wrapping around his joints, stopping him from resisting. He tried his best to free himself from his binds but Grays ice was just too strong…

And as he felt the ground connect painfully with his back with Grays hand holding onto his forehead, forcing that into the ground. He knew that he, Lyon Bastia, had lost against his rival once again...

The force from the impact kicked up so much snow that it took a full minute for the flakes to float back to the snowy ground where they originally resided. And Lyon wished they didn't however as the silhouette of Ur emerged from the battleground.

The two apprentices watched as she moved past the tower, to which Gray removed when he realised that it was still up, her face still in a slight state of shock…

:::-((x))-:::

All she could do was stand there in awe as her two apprentice's fought for victory. As the two young boys used their ice-make magic to their greatest ability trying to one-up eachother. She watched as Gray converted the hole made by Lyon into a big, icy spire whilst punching him into the air, before Lyon started to ride a dragon of his own creation to stay in the fight.

She was flummoxed by the mere fact that Gray, who had only learned of the ice augmentation yesterday was able to utilize it already to such a masterful extent! It was simply unheard of!

The boy had not been hear for more than three or four months and he was already rivalling and (she had to admit) beating her first apprentice, who had been learning from her for the last two years.

The boy was a natural magical prodigy…

She truly believed that, from the skills and power he had shown since he started learning she couldn't come to another conclusion, she always ended up on the same answer every time. Not that she was complaining. But the boy was a slight enigma. He always held a cocky, nonchalant or grumpy exterior but he was anything but those things in reality, He had held a high opinion of people he didn't particularly like. Something that many kids never do.

That led into the fact that he was a really mature kid (except for when he is around Lyon). He had shown multiple times that he could be patient, understanding and wise. He was like a little man-child, except he was a child acting like a man instead of vice-versa.

But no matter what he did, he always had that hidden anger inside of his soul. A little tinge of an unrelenting rage and sadness always made itself known through his very being. His posture showed it, his facial expression showed it, and his very actions showed it.

And it was slowly growing… Whether he knew it or not.

All of these things only strengthened her resolve to save him from this darkness, she saw a bit of herself in Gray. She had felt the harsh sting of reality and had also gone through that stage of anger at the ones responsible. He had every right to be angry, as did she, but she learned in the most horrible way that the anger can and will blind you, which only leads to you hurting yourself more than before…

Ur was snapped out of her thoughts from hearing the panting breaths of the boy in question…

"… I….. Win… asshole..." She heard him pant out. She finally walked towards the two in the crater , just getting a glimpse of Lyons utter embarrassment before anger took precedence.

"You.. cheated somehow!" Lyon protested as he gave up on struggling. He seemed to be absolutely disheartened He felt absolutely awful, he had lost once again to this hell popsicle. No matter how much he improved he could never seem to beat him.

"Whatever..." Grays reply would have sounded a lot more annoyed if it wasn't for his heavy panting. He let go of Lyons head stood a few feet away, slightly hunched over as he regain his breath.

Ur decided to step in just before the two tried to fight. "Okay, quiet you too." She spoke sharply, smirking slightly at they instant compliance. Well, Gray just folded his arms and 'humphed' whilst Lyon stared at the ground as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

Noticing his distress she spoke to him first. "First off, well done you two and I mean that, well done." She said praisingly. "You rate of improvement has gone up dramatically this past week! Next to no-one has accomplished this much in such a short time! You both should be proud of yourselves!"

Gray nodded, thinking on how much closer he was to killing Deliora painfully. Unbeknownst to him, his master had caught the dark look that spread across his features momentarily. She frowned slightly.

Lyon looked somewhat happier, but he still looked bitter. She turned her attention to him. "First off Lyon." The boy in question looked down again, but she smiled. "You did very well." He looked up In shock. "You showed me that you can utilize you ice-make in more ways than just attack. You used trickery, environmental use and that you can use you dynamic ice to give yourself more mobility." She pointed to where the tower used to be and he got what she mean by mobility. He grinned and bowed.

"Thank you master!" He said, a renewed fire burning behind his dark eyes.

Smiling, Ur turned to the still panting Gray. She understood why, His body was still to young to use ice augmentation for an extended period of time so it was natural for him to be tired after seven minutes of consistent use. She placed her right hand on his shoulder and he finally looked up with a tired expression.

"Gray… You are really coming into you're own with Ice-make and augmentation." She couldn't the shock out of her voice when she said this. "Not only did you manage to counter your opponents every move, but you have also showed me that you're augmentation skill is already reaching a new height." Gray tried to grin, but his body screamed at him to stop moving too much. Ur noticed this and gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about tiredness. It is only as bad as it is because your body is still too young and underdeveloped."

Even though the kid already had the indentation of a six pack along with other muscles, she noted.

' _He either trains hard or his Devil-slayer magic has amped him up._ ' She thought, but even she knew that it was probably the former…

She watched him nod a few times as he looked down again, then back up quickly before freezing in place.

She and Lyon were confused by this sudden change in behaviour, a second ago he was barely keeping himself together and the next he was transfixed to the top of the rocky mini cliff-face with a wide-eyed, confused frown.

The next thing he did worried the two mages…

He bolted toward the place he was staring at before he jumped up to the top of it with a magic-enhanced jump. Before taking off in the same direction fast.

"Stay here!" Ur ordered before she took off behind Gray, she made a flight of stairs and made her way to the top before she spotted Gray 70 feet away, still running like his life depended on it.

"Gray! Stop!" She shouted but he must have ignored her because he continued running. As did she.

It took at least too minutes of continuous running and dodging rocks before he stopped and looked around as if searching for a dangerous criminal in a fog. She finally got too him and looked at him like he was mad.

"What was all that about young man!?" She shouted over the heavy blizzard that had been picking up. "Why did you start running out here!?"

He turned to her with a concerned and wide-eyed look on his features. He opened his still heavy breathing mouth and his answer both scared her and confused her.

"A girl was staring at us..."

:::-((x))-:::

So… right…

I didn't like this chapter, it felt fragmented and poorly described… But if you guys liked it then cool.

By the way, what do you think of the new summary? If you like it then you can thank Yungsun, AbsoluteZero999 and Hiraethe for their opinions and input.

PHRASES OF AWESOME!

1: 'I like to look dress sharp and… snazzy nice'

2: 'You know when you look In the mirror and you think "I look good"? No? Well me neither!'

3: 'You are playing it wrong. Give me the controller.'

 **IMPORTANT NOTE: Okay, I had a hard time writing this chapter and it Is likely that I will have trouble with others. I update a bit too sporadically for my taste and the quality of each chapter dwindles as I go on.**

 **So after I do this arc, I will be writing out the chapters for the current arc before posting them. For example, I will write the next arc of this story out after I complete this arc. Updates will be scarce after each arc is complete and during that time I will be writing out the next arc. And that will be how I do this from now on.**

 **The side stories will continue as they are now. Randomly updated…**

Thank you for sticking through this and I will see you next chapter.

Stay cool,

-viperhat


	9. Re-adjusting: Five

Hello everyone.

I will keep these damn things short from now on just so you can start reading faster. :)

This will probably be my last update until march or so. Unfortunately my homework has picked up in terms of pointlessness and frequency. I have a bad case of writers block but I want to get this out just so you have more to read.

Lets read…

:::-((x))-:::

" _A girl was staring at us..."_

It only took those words for Ur to process the meaning behind her students actions and instantly understand why he had made them. For she was about to do it herself.

She didn't even motion for Gray to stay as she thundered away from him as fast as her feet would carry her. If the girl Gray had seen was the girl she was thinking of then she had to find her, no matter what.

But as she picked up the pace, she realised that Gray had lost her to the heavy snowstorm and fog, and he had taken off VERY quickly, ascending the cliff-face and running off to where she found him faster than she had ever seen him go before. If he had lost her, then what chance did she have?

The snowstorm had started to pick up. Snow was now latching on to her hair and face as she continued to run. She briefly wondered how she hadn't seen the girl yet. She even wondered if Gray was pranking her. But that thought left her as she saw an object just on the verge of being swallowed up by the grey fog that was impeding view more and more. She made a brisk bee-line towards the object she now recognised as woolly and proceeded to pick it up. Her eyes widened to the size of saucers when she identified the object as scarf. The scarf had been lying there for at least a few minutes as Ur needed to shake it roughly to see the colours and the patterns. But just the mere presence of the scarf meant that Gray had been on to something.

And she would find this 'girl'. She just needed to know…

And she would find out…

:::-((x))-:::

"Hey! Ur! Wait!" Gray called as he watched her dash away from him. Clearly in some sort of weird frenzy. He wondered for a few seconds why she would just take off without any warning like that. It seemed to odd, it wasn't like her.

His thoughts unconsciously travelled to the night before today and he smacked himself for forgetting. After being privy too a snippet of his masters past he should have known right away why she would do something he would do.

And the more he thought about it, that and the more he recalled the girls look the more he realised that he had probably spotted the girl in Ur's picture.

 _'What was her name?' Gray thought too himself. 'Her ex-husband called her Ul I think and she sounded something like that.'_ He looked towards the snowy ground as he puzzled. _'Ulmec? No, hmmm… Ulsmear? Nope. Ulgear?… Ultear?'_ His head snapped up as soon as he remembered the name. "ULTEAR!"

Gray looked toward the miasma of snow and fog. The originally light-ish grey canvass had intensified due to the extreme weather conditions and was now a more dark and foreboding steel esc colour. Not quite grey but enough to be named a shade of grey.

"Ur..." He spoke under his breath. Still standing in the same spot he had been for the last few minutes.

He thought about how different things would be if she found her daughter. Even if she was said to be dead Ur had never believed it fully. That much spoke for itself, her actions mere minutes ago contributed to that also.

Ur wasn't going to let what people had told her get her down, she would wait until the end of times if it meant that she find out the truth. She had her opinions and she would always stick by them.

Just like his father… never fully following a certain majority or minority. His father, who had always forged his own opinion on everything, speaking it when necessary and keeping it to himself when appropriate.

So there he stood, snow latching on to his tired and hunched body, still panting from exhaustion in the middle of one of the worst snowstorms even he had ever seen, making his trousers flap form the speeds, smiling.

A smile, one that adorned respect and some admiration towards the woman who was his master. He could now truly see why Lyon obsessed over her so much.

But as he was about to move his body reminded him of its situation. He quickly fell to his knees and started to catch his breath again. His eyebrows creased in fatigue and irritation, the ice augmentation took too much out of him.

He would have too work on that, as well as his static and dynamic ice-make. Not too forget his devil slayer magic, that was more important too him still. Despite how immaculately impressive his new magic was.

He hauled himself to his feet and began trudging back to the cabin. He had to rest… and make fun of Lyon about his loss.

With his plan of action in mind, he made the hard journey back home.

:::-((x))-:::

(Two hours later)

Ur was just outside her cabin, about to enter as she held the woolly object in one tight fist to her side. She only realised just how long she had been searching when the storm calmed sown slightly and she saw the dark blue sky. The snow falling across her vision blended in with the night sky's stars.

She was surprised to see the clarity in the sky. Living in the mountains meant that a view like this only came around once every orbit of the planet. And in the winter season the weather restricted her sight to only a few metres ahead. But tonight the sky was clear as it came…

Well, for how the weather Is in the mountains are at least…

Her door lamp turned on and enveloped her form with a warm golden glow as she turned the handle to her cabin and opened the door slowly. Entering the living room, she saw Lyon reading a book on ice augmentation with clear determination etched into his face. She smiled at his eagerness and nodded at him when he turned his head to greet her with a sulky expression. He really wanted to better himself. If not for himself then to beat her or Gray. She knew that he would surpass her with training. Gray, he would have to work hard toward but he could definitely defend himself against him.

Maybe one day, even rival him if he was working hard enough. And she hoped to see the day when they were at their best.

Watching two people you consider you're children grow and improve was one of the best gifts a parent to get. An old guild master she knew proved that with more than enough enthusiasm.

 _'I wonder if that crazy guild is still going strong.'_ Was her main thought in that moment.

She then realised that Gray was not in the living room.,,

"Lyon." Lyon turned his head towards Ur again. "Is Gray asleep?" She asked, frowning a bit as Lyon's face went from sulky, to sulkier.

"Yeah, Scar-face is asleep." He responded distastefully.

She scowled. "Lyon, what have I said about calling him that?..."

"'Don't call him such a horrible and demeaning term.' I remember." He said sarcastically. He was acting odd and Ur wanted to find out.

"I want you tell tell me the truth Lyon." She commanded sternly. "Ever since we found Gray, you have been more how should I put it?" She cupped her chin in thought. "...Explosive..." She finally described to Lyon. "Why have you been like this around him and me recently?"

"I'm not." He whined defensively. His voice hitching at the start.

"Lyon I-"

"I'm fine."

"Will you li-"

"I said I'M FINE!"

Ur reeled back from the sudden loudness. She inwardly thanked fate for Gray's sleeping tendencies. He would have walked in and hit Lyon for waking him up. But she had never heard Lyon get annoyed with her like this. Sure, he got irritated with her strictness every now and then but he sounded… Hurt? Scared?… Angry?

Or Betrayed…?

Quickly re-composing herself, Ur gave him a glare and he instantly quelled, hit looking down towards the coffee table in front of the fire. A tense silence filled the room, drowning the two of them. It felt like minutes had gone by before Lyon broke the painful lack of sound.

"Do you like Gray more?"

Ur blinked… Of course she likes Gray. Underneath his half angry half nonchalant exterior he was just like any other kid. Of course a kid who was hurting, but a kid nonetheless. But what was Lyon talking about when he said 'more'?

She stared Lyon in the eyes. "What are you talking about?" She asked.

She watched him jump up from the couch, frustration plastered on his face. "You know what I mean, do you like him more than me?" He cried out, stunning Ur again.

She quickly got over it this time. "Lyon, I really don't understand. Clarify for me will you?!"

Lyon's face quickly returned to it's anguished emotion. The one he let slip moments ago. "Come on! Surely you know what i'm talking about!" His voice was straining to keep itself from shouting too loud. But his voice held pure anger, confusion following as a close second. "Ever since we found HIM, you barely even give the time of day anymore except for when were at the damn table!" Ur stood there, in complete shock. But Lyon quietly raged on. "It's always Gray! Gray, Gray, Gray and an extra does of bloody Gray! Not anything to do with me! Not anything to do with my health, my training, my thoughts, Nothing!" As he continued to let everything out, Ur began too realise just how interesting the floor below her was.

:::-((x))-:::

Lyon ranted for two more minutes. Complaining about how she only ever talks about Grays progress and how he is doing before he finally ran out of words to say. But he didn't want to stop. He wanted to scream more, he wanted to hit something. But he knew he couldn't. Ur would only allow him to do so much and even in his anger he could still grasp onto the knowledge of Ur's patience with him. And that thought suddenly made him cease his actions any further.

The room seemed to mock him, the light of the lamp near him only reached his masters waist. Being on the coffee table it could only reach so high. But the slight shade continued to dance around her upper body with glee. No matter how insignificant it was everything seemed to be twice as worse for him in the state he was in.

He took a few moments to calm himself down. Looking at his master with his emotionally overflowing eyes. He waited desperately for Ur to answer him. He wanted too know. No, he needed too know.

It felt like an eternity for the two of them. Just standing there looking at eachother, one with raw emotion and the other with pure confusion. So when Ur opened her mouth to reply Lyon he almost felt like crying in pure joy. The tension would finally just bugger off.

Her answer was evasive… delaying and clever. Everything that Lyon hoped it wouldn't be…

"We will talk in the morning… I will be getting Gray to go to the town anyway. We will talk then."

:::-((x))-:::

(9 hours later)

 _'ugh, why me?'_

That was the main thought racing through the head of the now fully awake and grumpy Gray Fullbuster as he continued to walk towards his local village. Ur called it a town, but Brago had been a village and that was huge. This was more like a camp-site with fully furnished houses with a market and fountain in the middle.

Town? Yeah, right…

Gray continued to grumble too himself as he got to the outskirts of the village. Not paying attention as he passed a mother and her little girl. Strangely, they were the only two outside from what he could see. It was still fairly dark outside so he didn't think that anyone would be out at the time, but he didn't pay them mind anyway.

They sure looked rich though, if there pristine and regal looking clothes had any say in the matter…

 _'Well, rich or not it's none of my concern or my job to care.'_ Gray thought as he walked away from the two and towards the fountain.

The fountain was a big, circular pool with a giant chalice in the middle which had water spilling over the side and onto a marble slide that went around the entire circumference of the chalice. It wasn't a bad design, in fact Gray quite liked it. Even when he was grumpy he could still take the time to admire the fine art that was the fountain in front of him. It made him feel calm for a bit before he would get a move on to the cabin again.

But he would have time for that later…

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Gray started to make his way around the magnificent structure and towards the grocery shop on the opposite side.

:::-((x))-:::

(3 minutes later)

It wasn't everyday that young Lucy Heartfillia got to travel Fiore with her mother and see the wonderful sights it had too offer. Being the only child she was her mother was naturally a big bag of worry and concern. The little blonde didn't mind too much, her mother loved her very much. But it did get a little annoying sometimes.

"Mum!" he pulled at Layla Heartfillia's hand to get her attention. Her mother looked down with a warm smile.

"What is it? Luce?" She asked. Her voice as sweet as candy as spoke.

Lucy Pointed towards the big fountain, the really early morning sky contrasting beautifully against the illuminated decoration. "Can I go and sit there please?"

Layla Thought it over. She was on only going into the shop on the other side of the fountain, but she would be able to keep an eye on her as the shop was only fifteen feet away from where she was asking to sit. It seemed safe enough.

Coming to a conclusion, she looked at her daughter. "Okay." she smiled, but suddenly got stern. "But don't stray away from that fountain okay?" Her daughter nodded and she bounded over towards the fountain, looking entranced by the water and the way it shined In the light.

Shaking her head, Layla plastered her ever present smile onto her face and made her way to the shop. On the way there she passed the same kid with black hair from earlier. He was walking out of the same shop she was going into. He looked slightly off. She could feel pure magical power radiating off of his person, but she could also feel a different magical signature. It felt like the signature one would find from a charm.

But she tore her eyes away from the boy, not wanting to be caught staring. She entered the shop and went to get what she came in for…

:::-((x))-:::

"Wow, it's so pretty!"

Lucy couldn't keep her eyes away from the fountain. The way the chalice in the middle let the water pour elegantly onto the slide around it had simply captivated her. She internally wished that she could have a fountain in her back garden as nice as this but she knew that her father would throw a fit if he suddenly found a fountain replacing his patio table and multiple flower pots.

She imagined he would go on about how it would ruin the regal and powerful feeling from his garden. She didn't understand how it would ruin the garden but she didn't bother him by asking. He was always strict, boring and scary.

 _'How could mummy like him? He's so boring.'_ She thought unconsciously. Shuffling slightly to get off of the side.

She started to tare her gaze away from the fountain to see a that black haired boy from when she was walking. He had moved fast and had gone in the same direction as they went in and was now staring at the fountain with an expression her young mind could understand. But it looked kind of… sad?

 _'Why is he sad?' She wondered. 'The fountain is great.'_ The young blonde perked up suddenly as an idea popped into her head. _'Maybe I can cheer him up!'_

She was happy at the thought of making someone's day better. It warmed her heart to know that she could make someone smile. She always felt sad when her friends were sad and when they were enjoying themselves she felt like she was on top of the world.

Seeing his expression flicker to angry for a split second she instantly decided to talk to the boy. Flattening out her dress and walking up to him with a big smile that reached her cheeks.

:::-((x))-:::

"Hello!" A voice suddenly rang out next to Grays right ear. Making him jump slightly.

Unfortunately, he jumped and lost his balance, spilling the bagged food and his brown jacket onto the floor and sending him toppling into the chilly water, making a loud splash as his face connected with the water.

He quickly lifted his head out of the water and started to regain his breath, wondering who the hell decided to frighten a damn child. Suddenly, he felt a pair of tiny hands pull him out of the water and back onto the floor. He really felt like freezing whoever did this to him. He whirled his head around to see a young blonde girl, around his age or maybe younger, looking worried. Her brown eyes locked on to his darker, more black ones.

He scowled. "What is wrong with you!?" His voice cried out in pure exasperation. The girl retracted slightly, her face morphing into a pout.

 _'Oh no…'_ Gray mentally lamented, he hated pouts. Ur would use them on him to get him to do her bidding. She even used it to get him to help her cook when Lyon was sick a few months back.

"I-I'm sorry!" The girl stuttered apologetically. "I only came over to say hello! I didn't mean for you To fall into the F-Fountain!"

She looked like she had just committed the worst crime yet. And Gray wouldn't entirely disagree, he was an ice mage but now he was soaking wet and his shirt felt heavy and uncomfortable. But he looked at her face and he just couldn't bring himself to yell at her. No matter how much he wanted to.

So he just settled for an agitated grunt. "Whatever, just don't do that again." He replied. He watched as the girls face lightened up a bit and he felt like he had avoided a very bad incident of the tears. He couldn't take girls tears.

She nodded frantically. Desperate to not annoy him more than she probably already had.

Gray was getting annoyed by his shirt sticking to his chest so he removed it to let it dry on the way back. The girl next to him squeaked and hid her face behind her hands.

"W-What are you doing!?" She said in a high pitched tone as she was given a full view a boys chest for the first time. "You took your short off!" She was not only concerned for the boy's soaked upper body, but she also was worried for his health in to cold weather the town seemed to be enveloped in.

"Well done for noticing..." Gray answered sarcastically. The girl gave him a scary glare he glared back for a moment before he turned away, to wet and annoyed to be bothered with a staring contest.

"Won't you catch a cold?" The girl asked after a moment. He looked at her with a blank stare.

"No." He replied curtly, confusing the girl.

"Where are your parents?" She asked.

Gray's form went rigid. Memories of his father and friends burning to death flashed across his mind and he closed his eyes tightly as the memories ended. The girl saw this all and her eyes looked worried again.

He looked at her after a moment. "My fathers dead… My mother is a person I would rather not talk about." He said tensely.

The girl quickly diverted from that topic, seeing his subtle distress. "What are you doing out here at this time?"

"What are YOU doing out here at this time?" Was his reply. "I'll answer if you tell me your answer first."

Sounded like a good deal…

"My mum and I have been on a trip.2 She said with a chirp. "We went to the city of Bronsen, and the villages scattered between there and the city of Isvan." Gray Froze. But the girl didn't notice. "We recently stopped in Kenteen for the shopping mall and now we have stopped here." She paused for a second, her face falling a bit. "But tonight we are leaving, mum has gone to get some food for the trip back and it will be back to being in a big boring house with my dad who argues with mum often."

 _'Oh boo hoo…'_ Gray felt slightly annoyed at her complaints. She still had a house she could call her home. His masters cabin felt like a hotel to him more than a home.

Gray suddenly felt the girl poke his nose and he moved his head away from the intruding appendage.

She giggled, he was funny. A bit sarcastic and blunt, but funny. "Now your turn!" She replied in her annoyingly cheerful voice. Making Gray wince at the pitch.

He pushed his charmed ring further onto his finger, pondering on what he should say and coming to the conclusion that she was harmless.

"I was ordered by my master to get the weeks groceries." He answered, pointing to the slightly spilled bags of food. "She teaches me magic."

The girls head perked up at the mention of magic…

"You do magic too?" She asked, genuinely shocked by his answer.

"Yes." Gray said back.

"Really? What kind of magic do you do?" She questioned him, looking excited at seeing some magic.

He sighed. "Ice-make magic."

"Oooohhhh!" Her coo was hard too listen too, the inflection of it was just too damn high! "Can you show me? Pleaaaaaassssseeeeee!"

He watched he practically bound up and down on the spot with pure, unfiltered excitement. Even if he hadn't forgot the fountain incident, he decided to quell her excitement.

"What do you like then?" He sighed resignedly.

"The star constellations! I love the horoscope!"

 _'Oh god.'_ He inwardly gulped. _'Why did she have to choose something hard!?'_

"Y-yeah sure, just stop bouncing!" He snapped. She stopped and sat on the side of the fountain with a great deal of interest.

Gray looked at the fountain and pictured the star constellations. He struggled slightly, forgetting the stars formation a few times, but he soon got a clear picture.

He slammed his fist into his open palm and after a moment he thrusted forward and thousands of tiny balls of ice suddenly appeared in the air a few feet above the fountains pool. He watched the blonde turn around in confusion and gasp in shock from the sight in front of her.

:::-((x))-:::

Lucy had never seen such a beautiful sight before, even the real stars and the actual constellations looked less impressive than what this boy had made just in front of her!

She could see the constellations her mother had made her learn. Looking just like they did in the books and through the telescope! Cancer, Pisces, Lyra, Taurus, Aquarius and many more! They weren't perfect, but the sheer scale and detail put into every single ball of ice was absolutely amazing. She struggled to take her eyes off of it and she probably would have failed if the boy didn't clear his throat.

Lucy looked over to him, admiration floating In her chocolate pools as she gazed upon him. "I-I-It's so beautiful!..." Her breath caught in her throat as she tried to find the right words to show her amazement, only to fail… Words could not explain how wonderful the creation was without doing it an injustice.

He smirked at her tone, a smug expression falling onto his normal grumpy features…

"Like it do you?" He asked, sarcasm pouring from his voice as he spoke.

She nodded dazedly. "I love it!" She gushed. "You got it so accurately tat I can only see a few things wrong with it, and that is barely noticeable!"

"Nice to know." He replied. "Do you do magic then?"

"Yes! I am a celestial spirit mage!" Lucy said quickly. She saw him nod.

"Hmmm, not bad, they must be cool." He complimented.

"They are! I love Aquarius, she helps me with my chores sometimes. But she goes on about someone called 'Brandish sometimes. It's weird."

"Right, so what do you d-"

Lucy felt a hand grab her shoulder lightly. Startled by the sudden contact, she looked up and saw the face of her mother. Looking at the boy she had been talking too.

:::-((x))-:::

"Seems like you have made a friend hmm?"

Gray looked at the women before him with surprise. How in the actual hell did he not see her walk up behind the girl before she got to her?! He felt slightly stupid for not seeing her sooner, but he didn't show it.

"Yeah!" The girl chirped up to her mother, who smiled back at her. "He's awesome! He even does magic! Look!"

Her mother looked behind her her and her eyes widened a fraction at seeing the floating ice stars that were clearly representing the stars and there constellations. She saw the pristine and almost flawless design and spacing and she could see why her daughter was so enamoured by the boy in front of her.

He was certainly talented… But he he apparently didn't know the constellations too well, if the numerous mistakes In spacing and shape were anything to go by.

She turned her head to the boy again, giving him a friendly smile. "You got most of it right, just a few things you need to refine and you should have a great third dimensional map of the stars." Her praise made Gray smile, a slight arrogance seeping through.

"Yeah sure, but I am not really into looking up to the sky too much." He answered.

The woman nodded in understanding. "The constellations are an acquired interest." She looked down at her watch, gasping in shock before grabbing the girls hand and pulling her back to the street they came from earlier.

The girls quickly escaped her mothers grasp and looked back to Gray, her eyes boring into his questioningly. "Wait! Before we go, what's your name!?"

He cleared his throat. "Gray!" He replied, raising his voice to get his answer across.

The girl grinned. "Lucy! Lucy Heartfillia!" She shouted back before running away, trying to catch up with her mother.

Gray continued to watch the two figures shrink into the dark sky over the horizon, dumbfounded. Those two were the Heartfillia girls? He didn't care much but it was hard not to hear about them at least once.

The girl, Lucy apparently was really interested in his magic, well more of the fact that he could make something akin to the real life star constellations. But, he was pleased that someone gave another look instead of the scowls and gazes of pity he got from others. The only one who gave him the normal looks was Ur. The ones he wanted. The ones he liked.

Lucy Heartfillia… He would remember that name. She seemed cool.

Suddenly, he remembered that he was standing in the middle of the village, soaking wet and shirtless. He scrambled over to his jacket and put it on quickly. Reaching over to the bags he grabbed the pieces of food that escaped the clutches of the bag, got up and started to walk back to the cabin.

But ones thought raced through his mind just then…

 _'Why the hell did Lucy's mother not tell me to put on a damn shirt or something?!'_

:::-((x))-:::

Okay, so we have had a little cameo from young Lucy! Expect a few of these every now and again, I love foreshadowing in the most terrible way.

I don't have TRIVIA TIME or a PHRASES OF AWESOME today because I have an announcement…

 **IMPORTANT AN!**

So just to clarify from earlier. This will be one of my last updates for a while. As said, my college homework is starting to get out of hand, currently, I have two or three things I need to get done this week alone. Even then, when I give in one of my work pieces on Monday I am going to get more to complete through the week. This will most likely continue until March, when this subject come to an end.

For this reason, I have decided to make a facebook page. If you want to keep up with updates and shit and you have a facebook profile then you can visit the page. And feel free to ask me anything on that page too. Within reason of course.

I have called it 'Viperhat-fanfiction author'… Just look for my FF home page image and you should be there. :)

 **IMPORTANT AN!**

Stay cool and I will most likely see in march,

-Viperhat


	10. Re-adjusting: Six

_Nyeh heh heh!_

 _It is I, the great Viperhat! And I am back with more of my masterpiece, Trials of Ice! A story as great as me! With this story, Undyne shall peruse my story and make me a member of the royal guard!_

 _Nyeh heh heh heh heh heh!_

Yeah, I am in love with undertale. But I am also back just in case you didn't know…

And I know I said I wouldn't be posting until March or so. But I figured I had a long enough break and the homework has been relatively easy for the last two weeks so I decided to cut my homework break short.

Besides, I am ITCHING to continue on with my stories and I am the kind of guy who loses skill in something the longer he stays away. In anything… Like I am the kind of person who forgot how to ride a bike after a long period…

I guess the bike was TWO-TIRED!

Never mind...

LETS READ!

:::-((x))-:::

(1 month later)

The sound of silence was near maddening, the only form of noise coming from the devil slayer sitting on the side of his bed through his breathing. Gray sighed in resignation. Ever since he was sent to the town last month, he came back and for the first week, Lyon had been strangely quiet. Only talking to him when they were stuck In the library. But the devil slayer was fine with this, he only cared about getting stronger and reading through these books would continue to help him in that aspect. After all, knowing is half the battle.

Then during the second week he started becoming his usual self. It was almost as if he had an epiphany, if idiots like him could have an epiphany… He would bother the devil slayer more and more everyday, looking at him with a determined gaze as he constantly demand that Gray would fight him.

Unfortunately one day he took it a bit too far… The silver haired boys actions lead a massive discovery that Gray hated, a lot… The revelation had led to the new dynamic between him and his master and rival and it wasn't a good one.

He didn't care… he didn't.

After that incident during the second week. Gray didn't find much joy or satisfaction in training and fighting on the top of the mountain anymore. He still had to fight his hand to keep it from shaking sometimes.

He only got these shakes when he cast his mind back to that day, voluntarily or involuntarily it didn't matter.

 _'I wish I never did what I did.'_ Gray thought in a moment of regret. He really didn't want to do what he did, but what did Lyon expect him to do?

He learned a lesson from that week. Most of the world would only see the aesthetic, the first glance. They didn't care for reasons, they only cared about what they could see and/or experience. It hurt him to some extent, Lyon definitely fit that compartment. Ur… He still didn't know.

But for the last two weeks after the incident she had been avoiding him a bit.

He thought back to that day and inwardly grimaced. Ur literally had to pull him and Lyon away from eachother from what he remembered. His actions weren't entirely justified but the silver haired bastard deserved every second of it... He wanted to believe that anyway...

:::-((x))-:::

 _(two weeks ago)_

 _Gray had trudged back up to the top of the mountain again to train once more. He had learned what he could from his Ice augmentation and he needed to wait until he could find anything on the next stage of Ice-make. From what he remembered he had completed the second stage and he remembered hearing Ur say something about there being four stages._

 _To say he was intrigued was an understatement…_

 _But he would have to be patient and wait for Ur to show him the next step. For now, he could happily improve on his superior magic._

 _He felt his slayer tattoo glow as his inherited magic surged through him. He closed his eyes and focussed on practising his secret technique._

 _'See father, I am still learning our magic. I won't disappoint you.' He thought. Melancholy hit him temporarily, he ignored it and continued to focus. He felt in the zone..._

" _Okay stripper! Today is the day I beat you so prepare." Lyon shouted at Gray. Making him jump from his place in the centre of the mountain, falling on his back as his eyes met the grey and cloudy sky above._

 _What was it with people scaring him?..._

 _The raven haired boy took a moment to steel his nerves before he picked himself up off the ground and whirled around to meet his rivals eyes. Annoyance evident in his own. He really hated it when Lyon bothered him with these repetitive demands. All he wanted was some time to himself but unfortunately his rival wasn't as inclined to allow him such respite._

 _He wasn't feeling at his best today anyway, so any hope Lyon has of his cooperation was all for naught._

" _Okay, first off I-Ack!" Lyon must have only heard the first word because as soon as Gray tried to continue he was instantly taken off of the ground by a giant Viper of Lyon's obvious making. He felt the Vipers icy body constrict his body tightly as he was brought higher into the air. Gray struggled for a few seconds in the grip before his devil strength kicked in, which he then effortlessly snapped the icy snake in two as he released himself from the grip._

 _Big mistake…_

 _He looked down and almost yelped as he saw the snowy ground quickly enlarge as he began to plummet toward it. But he found that he couldn't yelp. His eyes widened in fright as he realised he couldn't do anything..._

 _He couldn't breathe, he couldn't breathe, he couldn't breathe, HE COULDN'T BREATHE!_

 _No matter what his mind told him to do his body seemed to have shut itself down in pure terror, Gray estimated that the ground was around 60 feet away from him and it was quickly enclosing._

" _Oi Gray, quit playing around!" He barely heard Lyon shouting at him. "Do something or you'll hurt yourself!"_

 _Gray heard him, he really did. But he couldn't do anything, He was just so high up and he had never realised that much before. His mind briefly wandered back to the day his village/town was destroyed, back to when his few friends and even fewer family were torn apart and/or burned to a crisp._

 _Back to when Deliora ruined his life…._

 _The feeling of falling for a long period of time left him with the familiar feeling of his ex-bestfriend Jade kicking him down the mountain he brought her and little Macbeth to. He genuinely thought he was going to die on that day. He shouldn't be alive TOO remember it. Because of Deliora, his friend turned on him and almost killed him in the same way Lyon had just because he had a sparring obsession._

 _It all revolved around Deliora eitherway…._

 _Gray's mind began to spiral out of control as he finally let out a scream of terror just as he connected with the floor. It didn't hurt as much as he felt the shock from the fall disable him again. His breathing was slightly erratic as he clutched his chest in vain hope of calming it down with his own skin._

 _Maybe his heart would realise that his body was still alive and by extension would give him his feeling back. Being numb was not a very pleasant experience after going through the short nightmare he just did._

 _He felt something wet trail down his half scarred face and he didn't know whether he was happy for being able to feel again or to cry from his memories deciding to curse him with their presence again…_

 _Deliora's roar reverberated through his skull at such a low volume he had to strain his ears just to hear it. He didn't even know that it was Deliora until he actually tried to listen to it._

 _Then something else caught his ears, just a tad more quieter than Deliora and frighteningly more human, it sounded sad, angry and… Betrayed…_

" _(You are disgusting...)" A woman's voice echoed around inside his head, Gray unconsciously gripped his ears, even if he couldn't hear to well from his left one._

" _(You let this happen you worthless whelp...)" This voice was more masculine, clearly male by process of elimination… But it still held that ominous and angry tinge to it. It's scathing comment whilst not able to hurt him physically it certainly felt like it._

" _Shut up..." Gray couldn't tell how broken his voice came across_

" _(You should be burning in hell with the rest of us...)" a another woman._

" _Shut. up."_

" _(It's you're fault...)" A kid, obviously very young if his or her voice was anything to go by._

" _Shut..."_

 _On his knees and hunched over Gray began to shake involuntarily. His mind was continuing to tear his already fragile mental state into shreds as the horrible remarks continued to reverberate around in his skull._

 _For the first time… Gray couldn't find the strength to fight back… His memories just wouldn't stop popping up. His mind was going hazy, as if he was falling asleep. He didn't want to be left with his sadistic mind torturing him for the next few hours._

 _'No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, NO! Help…. Please!' He chanted. He wasn't even talking but he could FEEL the fear in it._

 _Suddenly, Gray felt a hand roughly twist him around. The memories stopped and the voice's ceased to torment him as he found his working eye gazing on the boy who caused this for him._

 _Gray looked at Lyon who was shaking him with an annoyed expression marring his features. The devil slayer began to feel an overwhelming and all-pervading anger take him over. Lyon had put him through hell._

 _And he was going to pay…_

" _Alright pissy pants, are you going to Get up or are you surrendering to me?" he asked, a smug look overtaking his annoyance._

 _But Gray didn't respond…_

 _He continued to to stare at the ground, just barely restraining his hysterical anger. Lyon didn't even sound sorry or concerned in any way! Did he even care?! Even though HE didn't care about the git he didn't expect a kid as naive as he was to be so apathetic!_

 _He truly was a pathetic bug. And Gray wanted to squash him like one…_

 _Looking up Gray's eyes, even though one was completely destroyed BOTH glowed a soft and almost un-seeable red hue as he focussed them on Lyon, who had backed away slightly with caution before locking his gaze with Gray's. His eyes growing slightly wider when he saw the red glow._

 _He was within arms reach after all…_

 _The tension between the two began to grow as Gray's fists clenched and unclenched convulsively, stretching his neck as if it was stiff._

 _Lyon had jumped slightly when Gray finally spoke. Whether from him actually speaking or from the rage his voice held._

" _You want to fight that badly?" The devil slayer asked him ominously, his eyes flickering brighter before dampening again. "Well…" He looked away for a moment, before he looked back up at Lyon._

" _You better be careful what you wish for!" He shouted before he lunged at Lyon at an impossible speed. Aiming his fist for his rival's stomach._

 _Lyon didn't have any time to do anything, he was within three feet of Gray before he even moved. The fist struck him right where the devil slayer intended and he grinned as he watched Lyon double over as the wind was taken out of him._

 _Gray took advantage of this and grabbed hold of Lyon's shoulder as he rolled over his back and used the momentum to pick him up and with an enraged yell throw him into the rocky wall fifteen metres away with practised ease._

 _Gray watched as Lyon collided with the rock and stumbled to stand up, shock evident on his face. Lyon looked at him with anger, clearly miffed at the dirty move._

" _Hey! What was that for assho-Hrrgh!" He didn't get the chance to finish as Gray ran up to him again and grabbed him by the neck and slammed him against the rock, creating a massive 'Thud' when Lyon's back smashed against it roughly._

 _With his left hand, Gray moulded a big Icicle around his forearm with his devil ice and he pointed it directly at Lyon's head. He didn't know why but he grinned at the fear that his rival adopted._

" _Let's get to the 'point' you bastard!" He ground out before he lifted his ice-coated arm up directly to Lyon's head. He retracted his arm back and was just about the thrust it forward when his arm was met with resistance._

 _Gray looked back and saw a thick sheet of ice arcing around his entire arm, he growled annoyingly turned his arm into ice to phase through it. Looking back he retracted once more when he was flung away from a big icy fist._

 _Which came straight from the Lyon…_

 _Apparently; he had remembered that he had a pair of arms and he instantly used one of them when he curled his right hand into a fist of pure ice and enlarged it before punching Gray away from him._

 _Gray recovered in the air and shook his head when he landed. Looking up he saw Lyon crouch on the ground, his un-altered hand holding his marked neck. His other altered hand was suddenly thrusted into the thick snow and ice as his head reared up to look at him._

" _You'll pay for that you scarred ice asshole!" Lyon yelled as he focussed intently on Gray. He looked angry yet focussed. "I was going to surprise you with this in our next spar!" He spoke, a dark grin suddenly wiping any trace of anger he held previously. "But now I am going to use it to take you down!"_

 _Gray grit his teeth harder, he wondered just what was going on when he looked down and saw a big blue circle grow under him. Somehow, he knew that he needed to move out of the way, so with a grunt he jumped back and watched as a massive fist erupted from the ground._

 _Lyon had been practising…_

 _Suddenly, two circles appeared at both of his sides. His eyes widened as the circles also became two big fists that curved themselves onto his position. He bent backwards to avoid them, using his right hand to steady himself and move back from the arched ice fists with trained ease. He saw the space under the arch suddenly snap up and collied with the top._

 _The devil slayer sweat dropped, this could possibly be a tricky fight after all…_

 _The icy fists continued to sprout from the ground, both around and directly under him. And Gray continued to dodge them with little to no effort at all. His anger and hysteria had taken him over when the fight started and it continued to fuel his determination to hurt his rival._

 _But he had a lot of trouble getting close to Lyon. He somehow managed to either move out of the way just I time or straight up block him with a surprise ice wall. Gray; even with his enhanced abilities just wasn't quick enough to react when Lyon brought the wall up. Perhaps it had something to do with the raging negative emotions in him but he just couldn't hit him conventionally, his devil ice or his Ice-make._

 _But Lyon wasn't having any luck with hitting him either..._

" _Ice-Make: Hail of spears!" He shouted. Suddenly, hundreds of big, icy spears began to rain down out of the darkening sky and Lyon had to redact his attention from Gray to shield himself from the spears._

 _The spears were hammering down on Lyon's shield and he saw that he was having a lot of trouble maintaining his shield with one hand. Lyon spared a look towards Gray to which Gray just snarled and cut down the ice fist that had been barrelling towards him effortlessly before facing him._

" _Ice-Make: Cryo cannon!" He shouted as a massive turret appeared behind him, the sheer size of it was terrifying enough but when it adjusted itself to face Lyon it was enough to make him abandon his shield and burrow into the thick ice with his altered hand just as the cannon fired a Goliath of a bullet._

 _It was at this point that Lyon realised that Gray was out of control. He had mentally smacked himself for not noticing it at the beginning, he had been so angry at what Gray did that he had forgot that he had attacked first, causing Gray to go into this episode._

 _Him and master Ur still didn't know what made Gray tick…_

 _But Lyon was one step closer now, whether he knew it or not. And now he had to hope for master Ur to come along and help him before Gray loses it completely. As much as he hated to admit it he was getting tired, he couldn't keep this up for much longer. They were still kids but Gray had WAY more stamina, it was proven true when master Ur had the two workout to keep themselves in shape. Lyon could lift and bench press a decent amount but he couldn't go on for more than five minutes before being completely out of it. But Gray, with his enhanced strength and durability could lift more than eighty pounds with some effort and even do the human flag with little effort and be completely fine for roughly fifteen minutes before he started to tire._

 _Lyon had even gotten jealous over the clear muscle his rival had. His body had a balance between bulk and tone. Lyon had guessed that he had it naturally from his devil slayer magic. He had no idea how such magic worked. But he realised that and the jealousy melted away and in it's wake he was filled with determination to out do him in working out._

 _But first, he had to survive or beat Gray. Thinking he was stronger than he was, he decided to go in for the final blow._

 _Grinning, Lyon augmented his body into ice and travelled through the frozen surface at a brisk pace, homing himself on Gray's position._

 _But Gray was just standing there, looking straight at him with the snarl he had on his face for the last half an hour._

 _But there was no way he knew where he was. Surely it was coincidence._

 _But as he approached Gray, who augmented his fist into ice before he stuck it into the ground and literally FISHED HIM OUT OF THE GROUND! He knew this move was a bad idea._

 _It never occurred to him just how powerful and fast Gray was in close quarters. He didn't know any martial art but he was a master at using his momentum to dodge and add a punch to his attacks as well as knowing how to fake an attack and fake his opponent out. He was a very calculated yet tactfully unpredictable most of the time when in battle._

 _But Lyon still thought that he was better at everything else. Even when proven wrong…_

 _But when Lyon felt the cold hard ground slam against his back at an impossibly fast speed he could tell that he was about to find out just how painful his punches could pack._

 _The first punch hit impacted with his chin, dislocating his jaw and possibly fracturing the bone. Lyon found it within him to scream from the pain. The next fist found it's mark on his right cheek, he felt another painful 'crack' as another fracture had been beat into his cheek bone._

 _They just kept on coming after that and after a minute, Lyon face was a mess of bruises and cuts. All while he saw the red glow get brighter for a second. Was this really Gray? As hazy as his mind was he knew that Gray wasn't someone who would harm just because he was scared. He would yell at them and threaten them but never follow through with the threats._

 _But he was becoming desperate. Where was master Ur?! Did she know about this? Did she even know where they were!?_

 _She wasn't here at the moment though and he needed to do something. Or Gray would beat him to death._

 _Soon, his instincts kicked in and he moved his arm in front of his face to block Grays punch, but since the enhanced strength was being pushed into the attacks Lyon's arm broke from the sheer impact._

" _AHHH" Lyon cried as the bone snapped, the pain was maddening. He had to do something now!_

 _'Stop it Gray! STOOOOPPPP!'_

 _'It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, IT HURTS!'_

 _His mind was racing with more thoughts than he could possibly concentrate on, this added to Lyon's already pain addled mind. Which led him to do what he did._

 _One nasty punch to his nose destroyed any sort of rational thinking he had left. Lyon screamed once again as he thrusted his left hand (with the fingers coated with a sharp and short icy tip) into Gray's scarred eye._

 _It had the desired effect as the enraged Gray screamed as he felt his left eye get sliced in two, Lyon had managed to cleave through the eye-patch and into his blinded eye. With a hard yank, Gray felt the flesh and bone around the left side of the eye-socket split and break apart when Lyon's finger blade slashed to the left._

 _The other fingers had left a few minor and big cuts on his scar tissue and one little cut on the right side of his face._

 _With his blind eye mangled further and the force from the slash throwing his face to the left, Lyon trembled as he slowly stood up and he was about to kick the downed Gray in the face when two giant icy fists came out of nowhere, encasing both him and Gray in them._

" _WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO EACHOTHER!" Roared the familiar voice. Lyon almost cried in relief when master Ur was in his sight, ten feet away from them with one hand stuck in an icy pillar she made. Even though he could see the look of abject terror and unfiltered anger plastered onto her face he didn't care. He was saved and he would happily take any punishment she gave him for saving him._

 _Maybe he could tell her what happened and get her to ditch Gray… Whether or not he did this knowingly she just couldn't keep him after he told her what happened._

 _He grinned at the thought…_

 _But the two mages fell unconscious from the strain of the fight and their injuries before they could answer (or in Gray's case scream)._

 _But before Lyon let his mind shut him down, he saw master Ur look at Gray's eyes, or more specifically the red glow they held._

 _:::-((x))-:::_

That was two weeks ago…

Gray involuntarily felt the area around his scarred and un-patched eye socket. He was lucky that he was blinded on that side otherwise he would have been in for a world of shit…

the weird thing was that he didn't remember it until Ur cautiously tried to remind him. But the thing that knocked it back into his skull was Lyon coming in with the look of a bloody disfigured Vulcan, shouting at him as he laid there in shock.

His eyes were glowing red? He did that to Lyon? He tried to kill someone, his rival?!

It felt so surreal, sure, Lyon was an annoying asshole but he had never felt the need to kill or harm him anymore than just giving him a few light bruises… But Lyon's face was battered and heavily bruises, his right arm was in a cast and he was looking at him as if he was fucking Zeref incarnated! If what the two said then it was warranted but he didn't remember anything other than falling after breaking out of Lyon's stupid ice snake!

He suddenly got up and walked towards the window. Pulling the curtains apart he saw the night sky stare back at him as it's nocturnal light enveloped his bedroom. The usual cloudy and/or stormy sky was not present for once and on this rare occasion, Gray could see the full extent of what the universe had to offer. The sight was mind boggling.

He vaguely saw the Capricorn constellation and his mind was brought back the the blond girl a month ago. Lucy…

Her mother looked so happy to be around her, she seemed to have the perfect family. He didn't know the father but he had to be good didn't he? After all, if those two were as nice as he thought then the father had to have been just as nice…

He felt slightly jealous, Lucy doesn't seem able to scare anyone close to her. She didn't have these disgusting scars covering her left side, only leaving a quarter of the leg un-scarred. She didn't have some weird problem where she would go completely berserk on someone they know and almost kill them.

She wasn't a complete fucking failure of a human being, who would never deserve the life she was given. She was lucky…

Gray forced his eyes shut and shook his head. Trying to rid himself of his thoughts. The girl didn't deserve his angry ranting. There were people worse off than himself, he was lucky to have someone take him in and save his life in the first place.

But how long were they going to allow him and these episodes…?

It was the first one, but he almost killed his rival, who put up an almost equal fight to his knowledge. How many more could they go through? Surely they couldn't continue such a charade forever.

He couldn't leave them though… He NEEDED to be here. No matter how much he hated to admit it. It was true, he didn't want to be all alone out in the harsh and unforgiving world yet. People would only see something an angry, self-destructive and dangerous child. They would see some arrogant and pretentious loser. They wouldn't know what made him the way he is today, the things he had been exposed to at an age too young.

People only saw the aesthetic…

But not even he knew what laid beneath his scars anymore…

"What can I do..." He whispered, sadness seeping through his confused tone. "I don't know what I can do. I am not safe to be around. But I need to be around someone who cares. Ur cares, she hasn't hurt me. I don't know what I would if she cast me out."

His hand was trembling, looking down his scarred hand was unable to be stilled. Regret for what he had done began to flood into his body, taking him over and making his working eye leak. As soon as the first tear fell the floodgates had opened and he was silently crying within seconds. He twisted his body around and as soon as he felt his back come into contact with the wall he sunk down to the floor and brought his knees up to his chest.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry..."

:::-((x))-:::

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry..."

That was the only thing she could hear from where she was. Her head pressed against the door.

Not many things could phase Ur Milkovich. She was that one woman who had managed to go through a full biology class without throwing up whilst her students back in the day were barely able to sit through the demonstration.

But the following two weeks after seeing Gray and Lyon attempting to tear eachother apart had her thinking about the boy behind her door.

She remembered when Her and Lyon had their talk and as much when he had snapped at her a month ago. She sent Gray into the town and gave Lyon a chance to tell her what was wrong.

He did mention something similar to this happening, but he had made it sound like an insult. He hadn't actually thought it would happen. She could tell.

I got her thinking about what she could do if something like this ever happened. She didn't completely know everything that made Gray click. Being put through what he had she expected there to be things what traumatised him, Demons, fire and insults about his experience were the things she expected to set him off on an episode. But falling from a big height was something she didn't expect.

Something must have happened…

She moved away from Grays door and started to make her way back to her room. She couldn't help but feel horrible. She was put in a tough position with Gray and his problems. She wanted to help him, she really did, but he was becoming to dangerous to keep around Lyon.

It wasn't his fault. It never could be. He couldn't help it that his mind was in turmoil. He couldn't help the fact that him and Lyon were to destructive towards eachother. And he certainly couldn't help himself when these episodes happened. Maybe, with time and practice he could control it. But she didn't know how to help him nor did she know anyone who could.

She feared that if he had another episode around herself or Lyon whilst the other was away he would either kill Lyon or be killed. She didn't worry about it happening around her but she couldn't be around him twenty four hours a day. Gray wouldn't want it either. That was not a good way for a kid to grow up.

This all reminded her of her beautiful daughter and her magical deficiency. But instead of her it was Gray and his mind being the thing that was destroying him. She only saw one way of helping him.

And she didn't like it one bit…

And she doubted that Gray would be interested either. But she had to try, she cared to much about her students.

But in Grays case, if she loved him, she would have to let him go…

:::-((x))-:::

Okay, this was not very good… I am sorry about the quality. I did say that my skill declines over time. The chapter was everywhere and I don't like how I went about the 'Episode'. But this will play a big part in the story. For which I will not divulge.

Just in-case you are wondering, the conversation between Ur and Lyon happened a month ago (if that wasn't clear). The conversation will not be shown for some time. I had a great idea for it and I want to give it a try.

Also, expect the third chapter of One's Perseverance after this. I want to get back into the the swing of things.

TRIVIA TIME!

1: Is it too late to say that I'm sorry!? XD

Yes, it is Viperhat you complete flapjack… I am going to beat myself up so bad that I will be saying 'Hello from the other side'…

2: Who is excited for ComiCon this year?

Me, it will be the first time I have gone a convention. I am looking forward to it.

3: Who is you're favourite author? (not manga author)

It would be J.K. Rowling or R.L. Stein… Harry Potter and Goosebumps are both awesome…

But thanks for watching and I will see you in the next update.

Stay cool,

-viperhat

P.S. Nyeh heh heh!


	11. Re-adjusting: Seven

Hello, viperhat here, I am not sure where I can go from here on in terms of introductions.

Anyway, Chapter eleven. We are nearing the end of the Re-adjustment arc. Meaning that the next mini-arc will be coming up after it. When that is done, I will not be updating the main story for a while because I will be writing out the next main arc out in it's entirety. But don't worry, I will update One's Perseverance with one chapter before I start writing, then again once TOI's next arc is done.

That isn't as clear as I would like it. Sorry.

But…

LET'S READ!

:::-((x))-:::

When morning came around Ur got both of the boy's up and told them to meet her in the living room in half an hour precisely, when asked she just responded by saying that she needed to talk to the two of them and that it was very important.

That was the first sign that Gray had taken note of. She had spoke to Lyon with her usual stern tone, her posture the same as always. She spoke curtly yet her voice held the caring tone that seemed to placate the two boy's (most of the time) as she answered his questions.

With him however, she was much more soft with her words, almost hesitant when he asked what was going on. He saw the way her shoulders sunk as if they were baring a great weight when she looked at him.

He didn't know how to react to this…

She soon left the two to let them freshen themselves up, he figure disappearing behind the corner of the corridor. He spared a look at Lyon, who just gave him the same cold look he had been giving him for the last two weeks, his scar from their fight visible just under his left eye. Lyon broke their eye contact as he skulked back into his room.

He was probably still getting over those bruises dotted around his face.

Gray sighed, anger and regret rose in him for a split second. It soon faded though, he didn't deserve the 'mercy' Lyon was giving him these days. If it was him he would have destroyed the other half of his body.

Thinking about his scarred body, Gray quickly rushed back into his room, opened up his side draw and pulled out the charmed ring. He equipped the piece of jewellery and sighed in relief as he watched his horrid scars fade away behind the magical glamour.

He loved looking at his glamour, he actually looked like a normal human being, his left eye was uncovered but he could see from his right that the empty socket was filled in by a duplicate of his working eye. His entire left side was completely unscathed, replace by soft and smooth skin that showed no sign of any grievous injuries.

He smirked, he hated the fact that he needed the ring to look like this but damn… He looked good.

He moved towards the bathroom and quickly bathed himself and gave his teeth a brush before walking out and drying himself. He gave it a minute or two before he moved over to his wardrobe. Picking out the usual pair of black and shiny combat boots.

Looking further into the wardrobe he grabbed a pair of black cargo trousers and picked out the black belt with a shiny silver buckle. He threw the piece's of clothing onto his bed and looked back to pick out a dark grey vest and a thick, protective black long-sleeve jumper.

After picking out three more items (A steel grey, sleeve-less, padded jacket. A pair of tight black, armless leather gloves and a dark grey scarf.) He walked back to the bed and threw the clothes he picked on, tucking in the vest and shirt into his trousers and doing the same with the gloves and the sleeves.

Gray walked over to his side draw again and robotically grabbed his black eye-patch, slipping it onto his head and adjusting it to cover his left eye. He looked back in the mirror and assessed that he looked good enough to make his way to the living room.

Gray made his way to the living room and when he got there he saw Lyon and Ur standing there. Lyon with a gleeful grin on his face and Ur with a look of apprehension and sadness. Gray noticed that she refused to look him in the eye when he entered the room.

This didn't help ease the tension he felt when he first entered…

"What's going on?" He asked irritably, the tension was starting to get to him and he hadn't even been in the room for two minutes yet! ""Why are you giving me that look Ur?!"

Ur flinched slightly before she steeled herself and looked him In the eye. "Gray… I… I h-"

"You're out." Interrupted Lyon, his gleeful smile widening slightly. However, it turned into an annoyed grimace when he saw the Devil slayers confused expression. "As in, you are not welcome here anymore, scar-face."

Seeing Gray go pale at his words, Ur gave him a deathly look and he quickly shut up.

"Keep yourself quiet Lyon, or go to your room for this!" She chided him heatedly. "This is a very hard thing I need to do and you're horrible comments are not help me or Gray!" Ur was already having trouble doing what she was doing. Lyon was only going to make things worse the way he was being right now. She regretted telling him what she was doing now.

But as soon as Lyon took off In fear, she quickly realised that it was only her and Gray. The boy who's life was going to be destroyed again. By her hand no less, standing in the same room as her. Ur briefly wondered if certain feelings could manifest into a sense, because she was sure that if they could then she was definitely not just imagining the sight and smell of tension.

Gray felt his heart sink, it was one thing to hear Lyon say it, he wasn't the one who called the shots. But the way Ur reacted and her lack of denial of those accusations had him almost shaking. She wasn't going to kick him out right? She wasn't going to abandon him to the harsh world outside. She couldn't possibly be doing this to him! Right?

"H-He is joking right?" He asked, his voice frightened yet hopeful. "You wouldn't do that to me would you? Y-You're not like that..."

He looked so scared, yet so confident in his words. His face growing ever more fearful as time went on as he waited impatiently for her answer. The silence was starting to effect Ur. She couldn't hold back her sadness much longer. She didn't want to do this to him, to break his heart and potentially ruin him as a person forever. But as much as she hated it, she knew it had to be done.

She only hoped that one day, Gray could forgive her…

:::-((x))-:::

It had been a week since that day… That day when Gray found himself trudging away from the place he had called home, as his rival's scathing comments continued to assault his mind whilst he gave one last look to the two people who had once given him hope. Hope for anything good.

He saw Ur stand rigidly beside Lyon, seemingly struggling to keep herself from running after him. Her left hand gripping the wooden pillar tightly as she watched him fade into the dark blizzard with what seemed to be tears leaking from her eyes.

He mentally scoffed at the thought...

Lyon looked relieved and smug. It wasn't unjustified by any means, after the incident on the mountain top he felt the glares he received and that last look of triumph were somewhat deserved. But it still hurt…

But Ur…

Gray would never, ever forgive her…

She cast him aside after one incident, using the excuse of 'I can neither help you or each much anymore…' Which was 100% bullshit! He had yet to learn the next two stages of Ice-Make and he was ready to move on. He couldn't move on, the world wouldn't see him as a child, but as an abomination. The stares he received on his expeditions to the local village/settlement proved that much.

And he wasn't blind, he knew that he was never going to fully recover from his ordeal with Deliora. He still had night terrors about it and the day as a whole. He still had his fear of fire and heights and would probably never lose them.

And after this little stunt from the two people who had started to bring back from whatever dark place he was falling into pulled, Gray knew that he would never trust again… After all, life was a learning experience, and this was a lesson to him. A lesson about how people would continue to either ditch him or die trying to help him…

He didn't feel, and he didn't want to. Even as he stared at the solid ground beneath his feet all he focussed on was moving forward. Towards the massive town of Reenath, a town that thrived on their special soil. Crops grew quick and where much more fresh and tastier than any other product that money could buy…

But that held no interested to him. He needed a place to stay and Reenath was fairly cheap from what he had heard from passers by.

He would stay in a hotel or somewhere, outside in an alleyway if need be. He would continue to head west until he found Magnolia where he would take the odd jobs around there until he could afford himself a place to stay. Magnolia was known for being one of the more prosperous cities in Fiore and it was the closest city. Which was surprising because Gray was up north….

But soon, he would run out of topic's, and his mind would throw him back into nightmares or he would end up thinking about Ur… her betrayal… With poor excuses and false sympathy, as if she was trying to justify herself…

These thoughts would plague his mind every day and night until he broke down and cried his eye out. It wasn't fair! What did he do to deserve this!? He was just a fucking child! He had already lost his friends and family, his left eye and had his mind damaged along with his emotional understanding! He thought that nothing else could be worse than the shit he had endured, then Ur had told him that he was unable to stay with her and Lyon!

Tears had begun to leak from his right eye fro the third time that day. He couldn't forgive her, he just couldn't. People normally betrayed someone for a reason. But Ur merely had excuses!

"If I ever see them again I'd-" He clenched his fists and his body shook as he tried to control his flaring emotions. He gave himself a minute, he wanted to say it out loud, he really wanted to say 'kill them' But he found himself unable to utter those cursed words. His eyes widened with fear as he made the terrifying discovery.

He still cared for them…

"Damn it…." Gray whimpered pathetically as he sunk against the rock next to the road. Covering his face with his hands. "Shit..."

His voice became but a whisper… he couldn't muster up the strength to continue for today. He gave himself some time to calm down before he closed his eyes and began to doze off…

Reenath could wait for tomorrow, he was only a day away by now…

Little did he know what he get into when he arrived however… He thought that his life could be no worse than it was now. He didn't know how much worse it could get…

:::-((x))-:::

WELL THAT SUCKED!

I didn't like this anyway…

Anyway, I almost forgot…

TRIVIA TIME!

1: What was your favourite game of 2015?

If you have been paying attention recently you would know that I am a massive fanboy of Undertale. XD Papyrus is the best.

2: If you have to name one thing to get rid of, what would you get rid of?

I would remove David Cameron from the world. Put him on Mars… He would fit right in…

3: What is your favourite card game?

Cards against humanity. I love offensive jokes. It is the only type of humour that makes me laugh. That and terrible puns. Thanks Sans.

That is it for now. Only two or three chapters left until the next mini arc. So get ready for that. :)

Stay cool,

-viperhat


	12. Re-adjusting: eight

Hello once again…

The world is not too happy to have mr floppy socks in charge of the order of doughnuts so I will create a weapon of mass stupidity to counter the sugary sweetness of the Alpaca band…

Good luck deciphering THAT…

LETS READ!

:::-((x))-:::

 _'Why didn't you help me boy?'_

 _'You could have saved us, but you let us wither away…'_

" _I-I'm sorry! Please, leave me alone!" His body tightened suddenly, cutting off his breathing and sending a piercing pain through his body as the feeling of his ribs breaking became the only thing he could think about. That and the pain it brought._

 _The invisible force relented ever so slightly…_

 _'Why do you get to live happily whilst we suffer?'_

 _'Did you want us to die?'_

 _Another painful squeeze around his broken chest, this time harder, driving the cracked ribs through his air starved lungs. His eyes widened in shock as he felt what little air he had left leave him as everything around him became darker._

 _But as his eyes began to droop and close, he heard a familiar voice resonate from the black void of painful screams and venomous remarks. Suddenly, the familiar face of his best friend filled his vision. He expression being one of pure hatred._

 _The same from that faithful day on the mountain top..._

 _'You were my friend… But you let them die. You let them all die…'_

" _J-Ja...de."_

 _Those were his last words, just before he fell unconscious…_

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

"AAAAAAHHHHH!"

Gray's eyes shot open as he recoiled into the rock behind him and hitting it with a painful 'crack'. He groaned loudly, quickly clasping the back of his head with his left hand as he allowed himself to relax before he moved again.

"Fuck..." He breathed out quietly, letting out a calming breath before he looked up and saw the road from last night in front of him. The previous weeks events then came back to him and he remembered why he was here.

"Right… Reenath, got it." Gray got up slowly, holding his now throbbing head and steadying himself on the rock that gave him said headache. "Great, another thing to worry about." He grumbled to himself, he must have given himself a slight concussion. The pain wasn't the problem for him, the dizziness he got from it however, was a different story.

It took him a few minutes, but he finally managed to find a rhythm to keep himself from toppling over as he started his trek to Reenath once more. If their was one thing that Gray could say about hitch hiking, it would be that it fucking SUCKED. It was slow, boring and if you hurt yourself and you weren't able t continue you would have a hard time getting help from anyone.

 _'Come on now.'_ He repeated over in his mind. _'Reenath is within arms reach. You can rest once you get their.'_

So he persevered, trudging down the desolate road, holding his head and shielding his eye from the intense sun light that was beaming down from above.

"I hate this weather..." He muttered. The heat was unbearable, his forehead had worked up a terrible sweat, causing his hair to stick to his head which only irritated him further.

A few hours later, the Devil slayer finally saw Reenath over the horizon. The bigger building's roofs peaked high enough for Gray to see them. Seeing those buildings filled Gray with determination. He grinned and picked up the pace, his headache forgotten about as he began to run faster and faster towards the town. He was so close.

Perhaps this night he could sleep in an actual bed instead of on the ground…

That would be a nice change.

:::-((x))-:::

Meanwhile back in mountains…

"Not now, Lyon..." Came the morose reply from Ur. Sitting in her chair, her head held in her hands. She hadn't moved or done much for the past few days. Ever since she sent Gray away she couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that washed through her when training Lyon. Just watching him practice and improve made her look over to the empty space where Gray used to train and improve. It felt as if she was missing something. As if a part of her had been ripped from her.

It was effecting her health slightly… She almost fell ill whilst instructing Lyon about full body augmentation. She had to dismiss Lyon for the day as she fought to keep herself from falling ill. She succeeded, but her mind continued to linger on her ex-student. How was he coping? Was he alright?Those questions continued to plague her mind everyday and night.

Lyon wasn't bothered at all though…

He had even stated twice to her that Gray was getting what he deserved for his actions. Especially after he was beginning to warm up to him as well. Both times he said this he got a hard whack over the head and an angry lecture from her about morals and shit.

But he didn't seem to care much when it was about Gray. Was he really that angry with him?

"But master I-"

"I said NOT NOW..." She repeated, deliberately adding emphasis to her words. Like she was talking to a toddler instead of a nine year old boy who had been under her tutelage for a long time. The apprentice in question recoiled from the sudden increase In volume.

Lyon was more than startled by his masters sudden change in tone. She had never spoke to him like that before, even when he and Gray almost killed eachother. But that wasn't the only change he'd noticed, over the past week he had caught his master either crying quietly during the night. He never tried to intervene, he always gave her some time to herself and never brought up the subject since it wasn't much of his business. But he had managed to catch her mumbling out a broken apology to her daughter and surprisingly Gray once.

So in some way, it did have something to do with him…

She had also started acting bizarrely during their training sessions. Either deciding to cut the session short and walking back home or just spacing out and looking over to Gray's old spot, sadness and guilt shining through her eyes as she would continue to stare until he snapped her out of it.

Little changes like that had begun to have a negative on not only her, but on him to. Paranoia had become the normal emotion for the young mage as the days went on. Always wondering if Ur would suddenly burst out crying or if she would even come out at all. He was confused, if not slightly angry. Gray was gone, he didn't have the chance to murder either of them now. The distraction was out of their hair so Ur should be pleased, happy even. Right?

But as the week began anew, it dawned upon him as to why Ur was slowly self destructing…

She wanted Gray back. She wanted Gray, the kid who took up room in their home, who ate their food (Helping them make it didn't matter), who was rude and mean to the two of them to come back into what 'should' be their happy life.

That realisation filled Lyon to the brim with anger. As if a fire had suddenly ignited and try as he might, he was unable to put it out. He whirled around sharply to face Ur. Her expression turning into one of confusion and slight frustration.

"It's him isn't it?..." He clenched his fists, hoping it would grant him a window to keep himself in control. "You want the bastard back after what he did!"

"Lyon, don't give me this right now, we have t-"

"I DON'T CARE!" His sudden scream drowned out her calm and even tone. Surprising her and making her step back from where she got up. Lyon quickly realised what he did and took a deep breath to calm himself down before looking at his frozen master with a less intense glare. "All that he has brought us is anger, pain and frustration. You cannot even defend him from that, as much as you probably want to." His distasteful and bitter tone floated around the room, carrying a ton of tension around with it as it filled the room. He sounded so disgusted and sad that Ur almost forgot what he had said.

"Excuse me, young man?!" She retorted with a glare of her own, hands on her hips and her form leaning over her apprentice as she continued. "I do not have any favourites, you and Gray got the same amount of attention from me. And you are still to young to acknowledge why he was so disconnected!"

"Pfft, whatever." Lyon waved off her words as if they held no weight to them. His eyes never leaving hers. "He had his village become a huge piece of roasted ash and most of his left side got Kentucky fried as well as losing half of his sight from the same side. He became some sort of shy yet dark and angry emo bastard who thought he was good enough to learn how to wield ice-make like we could, he clearly couldn't and he left because he got so angry about it that he took it out on me! I think I know what there is on the matter..." He finished up his statement with a smug sneer and awaited his master approval of the situation, expecting a nod of the head to show that she knew he was telling the truth.

What he got was the complete opposite of what he thought…

He hadn't realised the cool wisps of air float around the living room until now. The temperature had plummeted to an all time low and Lyon watched as the air whipped around the area angrily as his eyes looked upon his master.

She was just looking at him, her eyes wide and disbelieving as she slowly shook her head. Her face contorted into one of anger, a burning anger, one that she had given him that one time he'd brought up Ultear after Gray had ran off after their spar.

The two stared at eachother for a period of time, neither saying anything or doing anything. They barely realised that time was a concept until Ur opened her mouth slowly, revealing her gritted teeth.

"I think you should go to your room… Right now..." Her voice was but a whisper, a whisper so quiet Lyon almost didn't catch it. She had made him listen without him even knowing.

"Not until y-"

"GO TO YOUR ROOM!" Ur's sudden shout had quickly turning on his heels and sprinting towards his room in shock and fear. He got to his door and slammed it shut before hiding in his closet, hoping that she would find him.

But Ur hadn't even moved after he fled…

She stared at where her student had just been standing, shock, sadness and anger all hitting her at once like a colossal barrage of emotions that had knocked her off her feet instantly. Her little family was falling apart. She had committed a great sin in deserting Gray when he needed them, she began slacking during the training sessions with Lyon and now Lyon was angry with her and was baring a great hatred towards his fellow student.

How did it all go so wrong?…

She was losing another family, and she didn't even know it. She had already deserted one of her students and that altercation between her and Lyon had begun to already effect him, she knew it just by how he reacted to her responses.

But he knew what he and Gray meant to her, she had told him as much. He should have known that she would be feeling terrible about her decision and that it was wrong. But he didn't, he believed that Gray was no better than the demon that moulded him into the stoic and sarcastic boy he was when they took him in.

But then Gray was not completely innocent either, sure his personality and outlook on everything he did had a more than an understandable reason for the way they were, but he had rarely showed any thanks or respect for the her and Lyon. He taunted and wound Lyon and sometimes herself up to the point of hitting (or in Lyon's case, fighting) him and he was always so Nihilistic and disconnected from them that it made it so hard to help and/or defend him when he needed it. He really didn't help himself or them to much. Of course she knew that he really did care (or used to), the night he found her crying was enough evidence for her.

But Lyon didn't know that…

In a way, this outcome was inevitable. With Lyon's jealousy and arrogance as well as Gray's rude remarks and his other flaws sort of destroyed any chance of them being a family… Well, as much as they could be at least.

She hoped that she wouldn't have to put another item of Gray or Lyon in her room for memory sake… The fabric scarf she found in the snowstorm was already enough for her.

Then all of a sudden, it hit her…

The two had flaws, sure, they fought and began to grow a slight distaste for eachother, of course. But did she even try to stop it? Did she even make an attempt to help them become friends?

No… No she didn't…

All she did was wait around for them at the specific time, hoping that they would be laughing or joking with eachother. At least not having a fight or an argument constantly. She never really intervened until it got on her nerves.

Lyon made those remarks about Gray being the only thing on her mind, that he was just a secondary attachment (not his specific words) in a way. But she never helped Gray control his magic, even if she had no clue about Devil slaying magic at all. Maybe she could have helped Gray prevent the episode he had from happening at all.

But she didn't…

Lyon… Lyon was her first student, her first real hope of ever getting back into a normal life routine again after Ultear. She taught him what she could and was still teaching him now. But she never mentioned about how their were stronger mage's than her out their, or how they could take her down without much effort. She in a way lead him into believing that she was the most powerful mage in the world. That no-one except him and Gray could beat her. Even if she didn't intend for it to happen like that. She could have told Lyon to be humble and that their would always be someone out there who was better than you.

But she didn't…

"Oh god..." Was the only thing she was capable of muttering, as if all basic motor functions had just been sapped from her body. Her eyes slowly moistening. "What is wrong with me?"

She would have to talk to Lyon, try to save what remained of their tattered relationship. Then she would give him some time to warming up to having Gray back before she set out to find said Devil slayer. Ur Milkovich was prepared to go to the depths of hell and back to save this bond between her students…

But it was late out, she had enough time to talk to Lyon in the morning. She guessed that he was sleeping now, she wouldn't blame him.

"Just let this day be over' She sat down on the couch before leaning over to switch on the radio. She felt the need to turn it on tonight so she gave in to the temptation.

She didn't expect what she heard though, secondly; any time she thought she had was suddenly cut into tiny pieces and thrown into the hottest fire in the world.

" _Reports on the Rosemary village abductions are soon to come as we move on to the next topic..."_

Ur frowned, another village had been hit by those evil kidnappers? How despicable…

" _The flames of destruction, more commonly known as Deliora, one of the nine demons of the dark mage Zeref has been spotted precisely 200 miles away from it's estimated destination. The town of Shanak. After the demon was last spotted near Brago almost a full year ago, no one has been able to find since until yesterday. Stay tuned for more information after we cover the death of the Heartfillia matriarch..."_

The radio had no chance to project anything else before Ur had jumped at it and quickly turned it off with a harsh click. She stood frozen to her spot as she tried to comprehend what she had just heard…

Deliora was back, and she knew that as soon as that news was seen by a certain Devil slayer he would instantly try to fight and kill it. She didn't realise it until she looked down that her hands were shaking violently from the sudden rush of fear that had swept through her like the coldest of winds.

She knew that Gray could kill the demon, he was more than powerful enough, but the demon has also proven itself to be intelligent. It had killed the previous Devil slayer (who she found out was Gray's father) with little effort and was the considered the most armoured demon out of the nine. Gray could kill it yes, but would end up dead too? Yes!

Talking to Lyon could wait. She needed to help Gray, she would not let this darkness turn him into ash, she would seal it away, even if that meant she had to give her life for it.

"We'll talk soon Lyon..." She whispered to herself. She was having a hard time convincing herself about that but it was all she could think of to say.

With that being said, she quickly bolted towards the door and out into the cold outside…

:::-((x))-:::

It was amazing just how stealthy he could be sometimes…

"we'll talk soon Lyon..." Was what he heard his master say before she took off faster than she had ever seen her run before. And it was for that evil demon brat again. Typical…

"Oh we will talk." Lyon muttered to himself. "Once scars is dead, either by my hand or the demons hand we can talk about how I was right about him being just as horrible as the demon was. You may be losing your mind a bit, but I don't want to lose you." He smirked hesitantly towards the door, making his way to it. "After all, you need to see me become stronger than you right? You need to know how I do..."

Just like his master, Lyon flew out of the door, closing it quickly before running towards the nearest town for transportation to Shanak…

"Just you wait Gray, I will not let you harm anyone like you did to me ever again..."

:::-((x))-:::

Okay, so I struggled with this, having pains in my shoulder and my computer deciding to become as useful as a buffet is to a man with no stomach not included…

I plan to wrap this arc up next chapter and I am sorry for how late I am with this. My assessment sort of got the better of me. But me and my group managed to impress the higher actors with our play so I think that we are in the clear. XD

Also… Banana….

PHRASES OF AWESOME!

1: 'Poo monkey fart.'

2: 'I met a mysterious moose, he said his name was anonymoose.'

3; 'Whip and nea nea literally mean My little pony BDSM and bondage in my opinion.'

Thanks for reading and stay cool,

-viperhat


	13. Re-adjusting: Nine

The final chapter for this arc… That actually feels quite nice, this means that I can move onto my stronger arcs.

 **Notice:**

 **Just in case you want too know, yes I will be doing Ice Trials, but since I continue to forget things (I am pathetic) I may end up making some shit up. And one scene in particular will be changed since this story has bashing in it, sorry to those who don't like that…**

 **Don't worry, I do my research...**

 **Finally I want to know. When I get an arc done and I start releasing the chapters I am thinking about uploading them daily. Hear me out quickly; Trials of Ice is a massive story in terms of it's length and development etc, the chapters are (mostly) long, around 3k to 4k words per chapter and the FT canon storyline is very long in general. Not as long as some (Dragon Ball Z) but it is still lengthy.**

 **The overall time it would take me to complete the story would be roughly a year or two if I upload weekly and I want to do more of The Ripple Effect and other big stories whilst I am still in college.**

 **My question to you is, when I get to those extra chapters do you want me to upload daily, or weekly? A poll will be up and in place on my profile page when this chapter goes up so please vote when it comes up. I want you guys and girls to have the best experience I can give you with my limited skill.**

 **Thank you for listening…**

 **UNOTICE:**

LET'S READ!

:::-((x))-:::

(2 days later)

It was very dark when he made it to the edge of Shanak, standing on top of the pointed precipice overlooking the death and destruction similar to that of Brago. The thick plumes of black smoke that dotted various area's of Shanak where the flames of destruction had been particularly harsh being the only signal to any other town about the events unfolding before the his eye's.

He even counted his left eye. Blind or not…

The sky had turned into a terrible black smog-like miasma of dark, heavy clouds and the occasional flash of thunder enlightening the edges of the thick sky above. The screams echoed from their source all the way to where he was standing, guilt and sadness flooding through him as each scream made it to his ears, as if they were crashing against his brain and leaving an imprint.

Finally; the main 'attraction'. The flames of destruction itself, one of the nine demons of Zeref and his personal tormentor, in both his dreams and in his waking hours; Deliora. It's fear inducing roar careened across the town, giving way to more terrified screams and loud, guttural groans from the poor people below.

He would finally kill this thing. He, Grayson Lee Fullbuster would finally kill Deliora… And he would make it suffer, he would make it feel the worst kind of pain, and he would enjoy listening to it's dying breaths as the life ebbed away from it.

He remembered everything during the past year, everything little thing that had had happened, good and bad, happy and sad, fun and boring. They all re-surfaced.

His first encounter with Deliora, Jade betraying him, Silver dying, foolishly fighting in his condition, almost burning to death, finding out he was half-blind, Ur, Lyon, training in Ice-make, meeting Lucy And Layla Heartfillia, his devastating episode with Lyon, Ur abandoning him and making his way to Reenath.

Where he finally heard the news…

It all flashed across his mind.

" _Oh god! I'M sorry, wait here and let me get Ur! She can help you!"_

" _Hello there..."_

" _Where am I?"_

 _She smiled, he could talk. "My home." She replied back. "Me and my apprentice found you and brought you here since there wasn't any hospital nearby for many miles."_

" _Gray? Nice name, i'm Ur Milkovich and as long as you are under this roof I will look after you as much as is possible, that's a promise."_

" _I am becoming one with the cold, this is what you will be doing today… So get to stripping."_

 _'Okay that only sounded vaguely creepy…'_

" _So let's get to your first Ice-make lesson then right?"_

" _Ready to learn… Master."_

" _Don't forget your underwear this time eh?" She let out a chuckle at her own comment before she sunk into the tub._

" _Shut up! I-It's not funny!"_

" _Impressive? Yes, but scary?… Not so much icy bollocks."_

" _Again Gray, language."_

" _And again, abuse!"_

" _Quit it!"_

" _You quit it!"_

" _I said so first!"_

" _Well im older than you so I have more weight behind my words!"_

" _Then stop abusing you age you dinosaur!"_

" _Are you calling me old!?"_

" _No! I am calling you ancient!"_

" _Right! That's it! Come here you brat!"_

" _NO!"_

" _WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO EACHOTHER!"_

" _You're out."_

" _As in, you are not welcome here anymore, scar-face."_

 _'I wish I never did what I did.'_

(FLASHBACK)

(The day before.)

Tomorrow was the anniversary of his fathers death… His village's destruction. To say felt shitty already was a slight understatement…

Gray had managed to get a room the day before, and he had spent his time just exploring Reenath. The great city of trade was teeming with life and activity, the hustle and bustle seemed to never end. It was quite daunting to him, after all, living in the mountains for a year will do that to one's social skills.

He got a brief glimpse of someone who seemed to be a big round ball. The guy's light red hair shined in the sun as he continued to paint away on his canvass. He seemed very skilled at his art. He looked a bit further and saw that two people were standing close to eachother, and then he looked back and saw the painting. It was them.

"Thank you sir." Said one of the guy's.

The red head smiled kindly. "The names Reedus. No prob." His accent, was off. Gray couldn't place it, but it sounded kind of… Western.

Before Gray could contemplate any further on the subject, 'Reedus' had waddled away and out of Gray's sight.

"The hell?" Was all Gray could say.

"Hey mate!" Gray looked over and saw someone talking to his lady friend rather loudly. "Can we get the volume on this turned up? It is ridiculous to keep it on when the sound is off."

His response was from the receptionist who turned up the volume with the deadpan look on her face as the glow in her hand dissipated.

He looked over toward the TV lacrima and saw the news. He rolled his eyes and got up to leave when he heard the very sentence he had been listening out for.

"The flames of destruction, more commonly known as Deliora, one of the nine demons of the dark mage Zeref has been spotted precisely 200 miles away from it's estimated destination. The town of Shanak. After the demon was la-"

He didn't stay to listen to the rest...

(END FLASHBACK)

"It was always going to come to this wasn't it?" Gray's venom laced question was met with a furious roar as Deliora's eye's spotted him from where it stood, as if it remembered him. "Ever since you showed up that first time you never really left. You would invade my once pleasant dreams and turn them into nightmares."

The demon took a step closer…

"You would haunt my thoughts, and twist them into maddening gibberish."

Another step closer…

"Even in my daily life, you have become my one goal in life now. The only reason I continue to live this pitiful existence."

Deliora puffed it's armoured chest out, inhaling with a great, low huff.

"Once I kill you, I will not have any reason to live or love. Why would I harm other people? You have already done enough of that."

Deliora threw it's head forward and a jet of intense fire shot towards Gray. He didn't move, closing his eyes and taking a deep, shaky breath.

"But if there is one thing I can do before my life becomes useless..."

Before Gray finished he snapped his eyes open and, with lightning quick speed threw his arm to the right and within an instant the huge stream of fire froze over, only ending in front of the demon's mouth. The ice shattered and splintered before Gray shattered it into minuscule particles. He looked at Deliora with a menacing grin.

"It would be to kill you. Deliora!" He shouted before suddenly thrusting his hands in front of him before blasting a huge ball of his Devil ice at Deliora. The demon batted it away with little difficulty before it responded by throwing two massive fireballs at Gray.

"Ice-Make: Shield!" Gray shouted, separating his hands as a big shield appeared in front of him, blocking the first fireball. He covered his right arm with his devil ice and took a running jump off of the cliff he was standing on, avoiding the second attack just in the nick of time. His magic boosted him far enough to get up close and personal to Deliora.

 _'I need to be quicker'_ The thought crossed his mind as he barely avoided being mauled by Deliora's claw before landing on the appendage and sprinting up it. He took another magic boosted jumped just as the demon shook it's arm in retaliation. Luckily, he managed to make it all the way to Deliora's face.

"Ice Devil: Tundra slam!" He shouted as a barrage of ice blocks the size of Deliora's fists careened from the black sky into it's face, slamming his icy fists down on it's face as the demon stumbled back, causing it too fall onto it's back. The dust quickly settled and it revealed the many big cracks on Deliora's facial armour.

Gray formed a pair of icy wings to steady himself, looking at the demon with dark glee before he raised his left arm into the air, he gave the demon smirk as he threw the arm down with force and out of the sky again, came another hail of ice, this time in the form of millions and millions of spears…

Deliora quickly spewed out another huge stream of painfully hot fire, To which Gray glided out of the way just in time, unfortunately, the spears didn't make it to Deliora as they all melted just as they made it within 10 feet of hitting the demon.

However, before Gray could react to the situation, Deliora got back up with flexibility that Gray didn't know it could muster and slammed it's fists into him, sending him straight back onto the cliff he stood on before hand. The scorch marks from the fireball marring the ground.

"Shit." Gray groaned, holding his chest to regain his breath before doing anything else. He looked up, keeping his breathing balanced and was somewhat happy to see the flames of destruction stumble slightly. It meant that it was in pain, no matter how little.

Deliora regained it's balanced, looking at Gray with anger and irritation. It swiped it's arm downwards and a column of fire was sent at Gray again. Gray quickly rolled out of the way but he couldn't move out of the way in time and ended up getting his foot caught in the flames. His eyes widened and he grit his teeth to keep himself from crying out, the familiar burning sensation spread across his foot as he struggled to get up.

"Lucky shot you bastard..." He growled. His foot tingling as he took a step forward. "Ice Devil: Death scythe!" A humongous icy scythe appeared out of thin air when Gray swung his arms to the left, effectively lodging the weapon in Deliora's side. The beast howled, wildly bashing it's arms against the tough weapon a few times before it finally broke. Deliora stumbled as the ice disappeared and it's new wound folded in on it's self slightly, causing it more pain as it smashed it's fist against the ground.

Gray didn't care for the demon's pointless destruction. The towns people had long stopped screaming since he started the fight. If any of them had survived they probably were either stomped on or roasted alive from the heat. He covered his burning foot in his Devil ice before he leaped at Deliora again. Hoping to catch it off guard.

He quickly realised that it wasn't a good idea…

The cracks around Deliora's fist began to glow a bright orange. Gray only had time to curse loudly before he was engulfed in a blazing inferno that erupted from the ground around him. Gray screamed as the painful tingling from his foot suddenly took over his body. The pain on his left side was less bad than his right as the nerves on his left were somewhat numbed, but it was enough to motivate him into cocooning himself in his own ice. A bead of sweat dropped from his forehead as he felt the flames lick harshly against the thick shell of ice, it wasn't enough to melt it but Gray definitely had to concentrate a lot to keep the ice around him from disintegrating.

 _'I need to do something…'_ His mind continued to repeat itself as a slight panic began to set in. Maybe he wasn't ready for this. "This is not how I am going to die!"

Suddenly, a strong determination lit up inside of him, Knowing that if he didn't finish Deliora off right here and now it would continue to ruin lives just as it ruined his. He needed to kill this thing.

And he would…

Growling angrily, he looked up and clenched his fists tightly, gritting his teeth as he felt the cooling ice form around his arms. Gray crouched, readying himself for one big jump, he felt his magic pool around his feet and up to his knees just as he took one huge leap, shooting himself out of the roaring fire and back up to the furious demon's face.

"Ice Devil: Rage!" He screamed and with a huge 'whoosh' a sudden rush of ice and icy shards ploughed straight into the entirety of Deliora's face. Sending the demon sliding back with a force, roaring in anger and what sounded like… Pain?

The Devil slayer didn't let up. He just continued to scream as the Deliora began to block the icy blast with it's arms before it fired back with it's own shouting attack.

Gray's eyes widened, he couldn't just stop the blast because he was literally 50 feet away from the opposing force, if he just stopped firing his own ice that was battling Deliora's fire he would be incinerated on the spot. From the looks of the fire the demon was spewing he would not survive any longer than 3 seconds if it enveloped him.

But if he just continued to stay put, being blasted into static (in a round-about way) by his shout he could either run out of magic or Deliora would potentially pierce through his ice, effectively turning him into a roasted turkey.

 _'Dammit…'_ He mentally cursed. He cast a glance across to the precipice, which now was sporting multiple pot holes as well as another scorch mark. _'Getting back on that would be a good start.'_

With that in his head, Gray let his attack gently force him back on to the cliff edge, just in front of the burned up yet still dense bushes. He felt his feet dig into the ground as Deliora increased the ferocity of his attack. He needed to do something, otherwise he would, again, end up being roasted.

Then it hit him, he would need to somehow create a second shout. It would be more than enough to counter the extra force smashing against his ice. _'Perhaps, I can concentrate the rage into my hands, risky, but I have to try!'_ He looked up towards the two magical energies clashing and colliding, anger swelling up inside him once more. _'I will kill you Deliora!'_

He didn't have much time to think about it as Deliora suddenly threw a storm of those big fireballs again. They were all heading towards him again and this time he had no chance of moving away from them.

Gray quickly decided to throw caution into the wind and with lightning speed, he covered his mouth with his right hand, silently celebrating as his attack continued to pour out from the appendage after slowly removing it from his mouth.

He didn't give himself time to celebrate however, as soon as he transferred the rage attack through his hand Gray turned his head to the armada of fireballs.

"Ice Devils: Rage!" The icy blast almost instantly, snuffing out the most of the oncoming fireballs. The ones that were out of the attacks range, were easily just as dealt with with a quick turn of the head. After Gray deemed it safe to stop firing his attack into the sky he quickly shut himself up and turned back towards Deliora.

"You will die here!" Gray screamed, his voice monotone, yet very angry. "This is it!" He could see the demon visibly shake, as if it's energy and strength was leaving it. It couldn't keep this up for too long. Seeing his window of opportunity, Gray took a deep breath, ready to end Deliora once and for all.

"Ice Devil: Ra-"

"Ice-Make: Ice wisp!"

He barely even acknowledged what happened. One minute, he was on the brink of ending the life of the demon that destroyed his life and the next… The next…

…

…

…

The next, he was crouched down on one knee eyes wide, with his left hand clutching at his bleeding side, a chunk of his own flesh blasted off a mere metre away from him. He barely registered his attack and Deliora's cancel eachother out as the demon staggered back to recover. He barely registered the intense, sharp pain that now covered his mutilated side.

And he really didn't want to register his attacker. The familiar form of his old sparing partner and fellow student of Ur Milkovich. Even as his breathing became more and more laboured as he lost more blood he was still able to utter the figures name…

"...L-...L-Lyon..." He croaked, sounding breathless and shocked. "W-Wh-..." He coughed. How was this injury effecting him so badly?! "Why…?"

Lyon looked at him like he was even worse than the demon 50 feet away from them. He just walked forward and grabbed the beaten and bloodied Devil slayer by his tattered collar, his eyes boring into Gray's like a drill.

"You will not hurt my master..." He spat, hatred leaking through his voice like it was water going through a paper towel. "I won't let you harm others like you did me, you cursed child bastard."

"Ice-Make: Dragon..." With one hand pointed behind him, he formed an icy dragon which glided over to the two of them. Gray hadn't realised just how drained he was, He may have done a number on Deliora but he didn't come out of it free of any injuries either. Now he could barely keep his fists holding onto Lyon's fist.

"Good riddance…" Was what Gray thought would be the last thing he would hear, he had no fear, no anger or betrayal in his eye. Just a hollow and tiredness that made Lyon hesitate for a second. He didn't know just how someone could look so… disconnected.

However, it was that mere second of hesitation, that one moment he spent second guessing himself. It was all that was needed…

"LYON NO!"

If Gray had the strength he believed that he would have jumped like Lyon did when he heard HER voice. But not out of fear, just from shock. His betrayer was here, and not only that but she was trying to stop her student from ending his pathetic life!

What sort of torture was this?…

If her shout didn't gain their attention then the loud rustling coming from the bushes definitely did. Out she came, looking like she hadn't rested in days. Her eyes were slightly darker than he remembered, she was stumbling over her own two feet and her balance was more than slightly off. She faced the two of them, her expression being one of shock, anger and dare he think it… Concern?…

Just her being here, looking like she had been trampled by a horde of vulcan's, meant one thing. Ur, his recent ex-master, the one who abandoned him when he needed her the most, had travelled all the way here to help him?

Or was she here for Lyon?…

She clearly had HIS health and safety and well-being in mind when she made her choice. She clearly didn't have any idea or thought about how HE would deal with the situation brought down upon him. Lyon had been with her for longer and he knew her more so when it came down to it, who would she really hold onto?

Her first student, the one who unknowingly gave her another chance at life, who gave her a reason to continue with her magic and brought some colour back to her her slowly braking life.

Or some homeless, angry, self-destructive, broken stranger of a boy who had been nothing more than some added stress to both her and the asshole that was Lyon?

"Lyon, put him down…" Her voice broke him out of his revere, she sounded serious, very serious.

Lyon just looked at her as if she had grown a second head. His face twisted into an expression of disbelief. "What? You want me to let this demon asshole go?!" He started out confused, but by the time he neared the end of his sentence he grew more ad more angry. "After everything he has done?!"

"What do you mean 'he has done'?!" Her hands were turning into ice, slowly becoming more and more blue-ish as time went on. She was waiting for any sudden movement.

Lyon rolled his eyes, as if expecting her question…

"He wasted our time by asking for ice-make training, he never showed me any respect nor you, he argued with us both, he almost killed me after showing me his true colours!" He replied, his eyes never leaving Ur's as he spoke. "What more evidence do you need!?"

"None of that was in his control!" She boomed. Frightening Lyon visibly as she took a step further. She cast a glance at Gray, his face was red, likely from Deliora, he had many cuts and a few bad bruises dotted about his features. Somehow he had managed to strip off his shirts and t-shirt whilst being in the vice like grip of Lyon, giving her a full view of his just as red chest and abs. The fire had burned through the material and just looking at the red, it was obvious that it was going to be their for some time.

But her eyes widened at the recent injury from her first student. Lyon had literally sliced a big chunk of flesh off from the his left side, it stretched from just under the armpit, down to Gray's slim hip. It was bleeding profusely and the swelling was already very bad.

She fought off her emotions, she had been to slow to stop Lyon from maiming him, he was still alive, but if he didn't freeze the injury soon, he would not make it! She couldn't believe that LYON was the one to do that to him. Deliora hadn't done much other than cause Gray to push himself to his limits. From the looks of it, the demon was still recovering, evidently it was about to lose the fight when Lyon got in the way.

That fact hit her hard. Deliora hadn't hurt Gray as bad as his own sparring partner had. Lyon actually wanted to kill him.

That fact hurt and scared her more than the famous demon they were in the clear view of.

Then it hit her. Deliora had recovered.

And it was now within arms reach again…

"BOYS GET DOWN!" She screamed, it startled the two boys.

"Stay here you cursed child." Lyon spat hatefully. "We are going to clean up your mess." With that said, he harshly flung Gray into the rocks nearby, mentally grinning at hearing the painful 'crack' of Gray's head smacking against the hard surface before he promptly left to fight with Ur.

The Devil Slayer looked up, groaning in pain. He felt a trickle of liquid go down the back of his head. He reached behind his head and quickly retracted as a red hot pain flared up at his touch. Automatically; his eye gazed upon the crimson coating his fingertips.

He couldn't muster up the strength to look horrified, but he definitely felt the fear take over his body as he looked up, trying his best to ignore the pain that came with it to see the demon seemingly back to normal. The physical injuries were still their, but the demon's energy seemed to be rejuvenated, as if it hadn't just taken a beating and wasted all of it's magical energy on him!

Worse yet, the demon was practically laying waste to Ur and that bastard…

He didn't care much for Lyon, but he was still beating himself up for still caring for Ur. But he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore. Black dots were appearing in his vision. His eyelids were becoming heavy and his strength had now completely depleted.

But as he succumbed to unconsciousness, he watched Ur take a weird position, her arms crossing as her magic began to flare up around her.

Lyon was shouting something, but his hearing became fuzzy. His head hit the floor and he knew no more…

:::-((x))-:::

It was a lot more quieter when he awoke…

The smell of dust and a strange pine scent was in the air as he groggily brought himself up and onto his right knee. He looked around and he instantly realised that he was enveloped in the dark. His head and left side still hurt immensely. It got to the point where he had to ice up the wounds just so he could concentrate enough to find out what happened. The sky had cleared up somewhat, as if the calamity that had taken place when he was last awake had past. The black sky was replaced with a lovely dark blue hue and the moonlight did light up the landscape a tad, giving him a half decent view of his surroundings.

"Oh god!" His right hand was quickly covering his broken left hand in a thick layer of ice. "Ow, ow ow, shit!" He chanted, the fingers and his hand were most definitely broken. He gave himself a second to let the pain recede, huffing in irritation. "Great, that brings my Ice-make down to it's knees..."

He turned around, almost falling over as he was instantly aware of the new limp he was suffering from. He looked down and saw his chest for the first time since reaching Shanak. He was banged up good that was for sure. Deliora was probably proud of itself.

…

…

…

He slowly realised…

…

…

…

Deliora…

…

…

…

Lyon…

…

…

…

Ur!

"Oh shit." Was all he could say, he looked up and saw the sparkle from above. The cliff top he was on was all the way back up there. He was somehow moved all the way down to the bottom again. "UR!"

He hadn't realised that he had climbed to the top of the cliff again until he fell forcefully onto one knee in pain, he looked down and saw his side bleeding a little. _'Oh god, the pain is overwhelming!'_

Gray forced his body back up and as he did he looked up to see what was causing the light. What he saw almost made him fall back down to the bottom again.

In front of him was Deliora, but it wasn't able to move, or even emit any noise. Because it was frozen in place. It wasn't able to break out either, the ice was simply too thick. The town around it however was in a state of complete disrepair.

But it would be the last… The demon that ruined it, as well as his own, was defeated.

"He- He's gone…"The words he wanted to say felt weird on his lips. But it certainly felt good. "Deliora, is finally gone… ha… haha… hahahaha…. HahahahahaHAHAHAHA!"

He couldn't help it, he was free, he finally able to feel the sweet, sweet feeling of revenge. The fucking demon would never haunt him again. He could finally breathe and not feel like he wasn't worthy of the function!

He had avenged his town, people effected by the demon, his father…

"Yes! Fuck you, you piece of shit demon! Haha!" His laughter must've sounded hysteric. But Gray felt so happy! He wouldn't feel this good ever again, so he was going to make the absolute most of it dammit!

That was when he spotted it…

Just to the side, near where the flesh from his side was lying. That was when he saw it. Any laughter he had left was drained completely when he saw it laying there, torn from it's original owner. Looking pale, lifeless and had the generic big trail of dried blood coming from the top.

It was a leg… And only Ur would wear those tight brown trousers…

He just stood there, eyes wide, just staring at the severed limb that belonged to his old master. Sure, she abandoned him, she had destroyed his trust in authority figures and she tried to make it look like she cared.

But she had saved him from dying, she did take him in for some time and she did just save him fom dying again…

That was when the tears started forming in his eye. Had she sacrificed herself… for him? Did he just cause the death of someone else?

"No..." He shook his head, faster and faster as the reality set in. He looked back at the huge capsule of ice and back at the limb, then back at the capsule. Slowly, he made the connection. Ur was a master at Ice-make, she knew practically every technique and strengths of the magic. That probably included that one spell he saw Lyon reading about 5 months back.

Iced shell…

Iced… Shell…

Ur had used iced shell…

Because he was here. She cared for him, for some reason and she died because he was here, fighting the demon.

"No… nononononononoNOOOO!" He screamed, pure agony in laced in his voice as it pierced the sky, travelling far away and across the ruins, this ghost town, the ruins of what once was like his own. "Ur!, that better not fucking be you! I won't allow it!"

He screamed, pleaded, begged and even threatened her, knowing that neither he or she could do anything about this. Deliora, even after death, had taken someone else from him. The worse part was that it was his own fault.

It must be true, what Lyon, the bullies from his childhood and Jade said. He really was a cursed child. Everyone he knew ended up dying or leaving him. He really was meant to die along with Brago's residence… He didn't deserve the second chance he was given.

He really didn't know how long he had been sitting there, crying, screaming, just doing anything in the vain hope that Ur would react and appear out of nowhere. He would forgive her for abandoning him, hell, he would forgive her for torturing him if he had the chance and if she actually had done so!

He would definitely switch places… She made a mistake, he WAS a mistake.

He looked up and at the huge icy prison surrounding Deliora. Tears brimming around his only working eye. "Ur… I'm sorry, I am so fucking sorry. You shouldn't have followed me, I didn't deserve the life I was given..." Gray looked down, he knew that he couldn't do anything about this. He had to accept this and move on. But he knew that he wouldn't, he never would.

He slowly looked up once more, for the last time, he would never see her again, he would never train with her, argue with her or help her with the daily tasks ever again. He got up, turned around and began to walk away, mumbling two words with some difficulty as he left the scene.

"Thank you..."

He picked up is burnt shirt, he couldn't salvage what was left of his t-shirt but he didn't care. He stared at it for some time before he slipped the shirt back on. He realised that he hadn't seen Lyon, but he really didn't care, he could be dead now, and Gray couldn't find it within himself to be sad or scared for the bastard.

But he wouldn't think about Lyon right now, all he wanted to do was make it to Magnolia, in the west. That in itself was going to be a challenge. He would never forget Ur, the women who made a mistake, but in the end gave her life for him. If he knew her, then she probably wouldn't want him to die, she would have wanted him to live his life.

And he would believe that, why else would she do this for him?

"I promise… master..." The Devil Slayer close his eyes, determination settling in. "I will become strong, the strongest, I will protect those close to me to the best of my ability, even if it costs me my life. I will live on, even if I don't deserve it, just for you."

With his promise set in stone and his goal in mind, Grayson Lee Fullbuster began his fated journey, it would be long, treacherous and difficult for him…

But little did he know just how pivotal this day would be, little did he know what adventures awaited him…

Little did he know what become of him in the near future…

His life was just a string of trials… Trials of Ice and pain, but he would pass them all, one by one.

His journey had officially begun…

:::-((x))-:::

WE ARE DONE!

With the first arc… Aaaaaaaaaaaaggggg, right….

Tell me what you all thought about this chapter, I didn't like the final half of it. But I guess I do put myself down somewhat.

Thought and criticism are thoroughly appreciated…

TRIVIA TIME!

1: Have you seen the most recent captain America civil war trailer?

ER MEH GEEEERRRRRDDDD! Scientists have theorised that if you put a sample of Jacksepticeye into a marvel movie you would get the most awesome movie and trailer ever known to man.

And yes, this is better than Superman vs Batman, aka generic and un-relatable boy scout vs boring and disconnected Gothic bat bastard. I hate those two… 'characters'…

2: Papyrus or Skelator?

Papyrus… I am a full fanboy for Papyrus…

3: What is your favourite comic book?

Marvel's Civil war… I think I have said enough.

Thank you for watching and I hope you are ready for the next mini arc: Ice trials. I have to include this because you know, more Gray, Nano, Doranbolt, Pause and shizzle stick. XD

Stay cool,

-viperhat


	14. Ice Trials: One

Another notice before we start…

 **I guess that I am doing a daily upload when I get around to the next main arc, but I won't do it until this mini arc is over which may take some time as Ice trials is quite long. That is all well and good. But, since I am doing that we may be seeing the end of TRIVIA TIME!**

 **It had a good run, but if I do the scheduled updates (which are pretty much necessary at this point) then I am not going to waste time going back and throwing in questions each and every day. I might think of some other little mini game you guys can play with or answer.**

 **I guess I better start finding a stupid name then… XD**

Well… That is officially out of the way…

LET'S READ!

:::-((x))-:::

(Three days later)

Crunch…

Crunch…

Crunch…

That was the sound his ears continuously picked up. One after another, one foot steps down into the thick snow, the other repeats the others action as the young boy, no older than eight or nine trudged slowly through the forest he found himself in.

The boy could be seen wearing mostly black clothing, with the only 'non-black' thing he was wearing being a dark grey tight t-shirt that showed off the young boys tone and muscle, it was that tight. His hands were both gloved, the left one had a ring on it that shimmered with magic. Around his head was an eye-patch that covered his left eye, the patch blended in with his raven black hair with the ridge where the patch was tight being barely visible to the untrained eye.

Suddenly, his stomach rumbled loudly, he instantly clutched at his gut, wincing as the sharp, stabbing subsided before continuing to walk further.

The boy had no direction in mind, well, he didn't mind as long as he was going west. The powerful mages were there, the mages that could help him get stronger were in the west and that was where he would go, like a moth drawn to a flame.

After another twenty minutes of hiking through the forest, the boy stopped in his tracks and let out a half tired and half pained sigh. "Damn..." He muttered, his voice raspy, like he hadn't had a drop of water for a whole day. He looked around, irritation clear on his features. "Where the hell am I?"

His stomach let out another growl, his growled at it back and resisted the urge to punch himself in the gut. "Will you shut up already…?" _'Dammit, i'm hungry!'_ His mind was completely overtaken by that one thought, it was as if it was stuck on repeat, only annoying him further.

Even his own body was taking the piss out of him…

But he didn't have time to react any further to it, as soon as he was about to yell at himself he was completely engulfed it snow, he heard a little "Oof" and the pressure suddenly flattened him against the snow on the ground.

Today was just not his day…

:::-((x))-:::

"Oww..." Whined the girl on the top of the snow pile. Rubbing her head as she took a calming breath before looking around, she looked below and saw the snow under her, it was much more thicker and softer than the thinner layer of snow beneath her. She let out a little nervous giggle. "It was a good thing I was saved by the snow."

The girl got up and began to move away when she heard muffle shouts and the sound of snow being violently thrown around everywhere. Startled, she looked back to see the pile of snow she was previously sitting on moving, as if something was trying to break out.

Then all of a sudden, the snow pile burst and a boy around her age burst out with an irritated yell. He was clearly not happy, the girl had a sneaking suspicion as to why that was.

"WHAT'S SO GOOD ABOUT IT!?" He yelled, outrage plastered on his face as he waggled his arms around, brushing off the snow and adding emphasis to his annoyance.

"Sorry, sorry!" Was her reply, shaking her head up and down rapidly as she spoke. However, when she looked up she was greeted with the sight of the boys chest, his bare chest was out for the whole world to see and what shocked her most was that the boy didn't seem to notice. Her face changed from one of embarrassment to one of complete and utter shock. "More importantly, why are you naked!?"

The boy re-adjusted his eye-patch (which she had just noticed) and gave her a frown. "Oh well I am just a drunk teen who got lost after a greeeeaaaattttt night out with my buds." Was his sarcastic reply, after a second of silence he continued."It's an annoying habit if you need to know. Trust me, I don't do it on purpose..."

She looked at him in disbelief, shaking her head, as if trying to make sense of what she just heard. "Eh? How do you just get a stripping habit?"

"I don't know!" The boy shouted. "I am just as confused as you!" Just when she was about to ask him another question when he quickly changed his act. "Actually, it's good I ran into you…" Her look made him sweat drop. "Ahhh, it's a good thing you actually fell on me, I don't have a bloody clue where the town is, do you know? I need to get something to eat, maybe a drink too." he added as an afterthought, rubbing his throat when he said that.

The town!

She needed to get going! Him too if he didn't want to get taken away! "That's right!" She jumped, turning around. "I gotta run!"

"well, well, well." She froze, they found her already?! "That was a close one wasn't it?..."

:::-((x))-:::

The boy looked behind him and found himself staring at two men. One wearing a white and red striped shirt with slacks and the other one looking slightly rounded, wearing a waist coat as well as some tight head gear that sported a fake ponytail at the top. The two looked at the girl behind him with a grin that didn't look to welcoming.

He already didn't like them…

"This time, we'll get you for sure." The slacks man (as the boy dubbed him) spoke with confidence, he looked ready to knock her out but as he moved towards her the boy instantly shielded her at seeing her frightened expression. Slacks man seemed to be aware of him now, he looked at him with a deep frown. "Hmm, who's this little brat you found?" he asked of the girl, who stood still behind the guarded boy.

"Haaa." The boy's stomach growled once again, but not loud for the first time that day. He looked at the two men with a dark smirk growing more and more present. "Too bad." He drawled to the two. "But from the looks of you two, you aren't townsfolk."He growled, making the fatter one step back slightly from the suddenness. The boy looked at slacks man. "So why don't you and your friend here bugger off before I turn you into an ice sculpture?"

He heard the girl behind him gasp at his sudden change in tone, he felt his magic leak slightly, he grinned, hopefully he could scare them away. But no such luck.

The threat seemed to almost work on the fat guy, but slacks man seemed unfazed…

"first off, you don't seem like an ordinary boy." Slacks man smirked. _'He's naked to start'_ He scratched the back of his head as the boy quickly looked down and yelped, he quickly put his trousers and coat back on before getting in front of the girl again. "And secondly; You will be coming with us." The boy's angry yet confused stare made him elaborate. "We can't have you ratting us out after all..."

Suddenly, the fat guy, dashed and scooped the two children up. The girl began to smash her fists on the guy's back as she screamed at him to let them go. He didn't listen began to walk off, slacks man's word falling on deaf ears.

Suddenly, the boy grabbed the girl before kicking violently against the fat guy's chest, making him stumble whilst he flipped and landed with practised grace, dropping the girl to her feet as he did so, he gave her a reassuring nod of the head to calm her down before he turned back to the fat guy.

"You just made a mistake buddy..." The boy growled angrily. "Ice-Devil:-" He stopped suddenly, his eyes widened as his stomach suddenly lurched and growled. "uuurrrrgggghhhh" A wave of sharp pains overtook him before he fell down to the floor unconscious.

The girl looked at him, shock and panic evident on her face. "Really? You had to lose it now!?" She shouted, running over to the fallen boy and shaking him, hopelessly trying to wake him up.

Then the looming shadow of slacks man blocked out the light, making her look up with fear. He gave the boy a harsh kick in the gut, making the boy quickly throw up. Their eyes widened slightly at the sight of blood but the two men didn't do much other than pick the girl and boy up. The girl once again struggling in his grasp.

"C'mon Radish." He spoke to the fat guy. 'Radish' nodded, rubbing his tummy, wincing as he did before catching up to slacks man.

:::-((x))-:::

The boy had no idea where he was when he awoke, all he could see was an endless void of steel grey, it took him a second to realise that they were walls though which meant one thing to him. He was trapped.

His un-patched eye widened as the thought struck him. He wasn't able to fight, he was starving, he was tired and he now had no clue where he was!

He shot up, scrunching his face in pain when his stomach stabbed itself again. He looked around after a second to see the young girl he was with fast asleep.

He didn't manage to get a good look at her in the forest, things happened real fast and he was taking a beat down from his tired body. But now he could clearly see the girl almost shiny and healthy white hair, thicker than the forest they were in and just as obvious as her dark red scarf that was wrapped around her neck.

Her dress wasn't too much to look at, it was an even darker shade of red, almost brown and it came down to her knees like a summer dress. Her boots were a stained white in colour with fur around the top, which was also whit, but clear instead.

The boy almost didn't want to wake her, but he needed answers! He had been flattened by this girl, questioned instantly on his habit and not a few seconds later was he being carted off to a destination he knew nothing about!

He thought that was enough to warrant some form of questioning…

"hey, wake up." He muttered, shaking the sleeping girl gently as not to startle her. Unfortunately it didn't work out as planned, as soon as he shook her he was batted straight in the face by her fist. It wasn't painful, but it did make him yelp and fall on his back. He pushed himself back up and glared at the girl who was now looking at him with surprise and apprehension. "What was that for!?"

"Y-You shook me, it was your fault. Sorry though." She quickly added, bowing her head and missing his embarrassed blush.

"Whatever." He groaned after a few seconds. His stomach rumbled again, loud and proud. He clutched at his stomach and growled in pain and anger. "Im so goddamn hungry!" he yelled finally, he had finally had enough of his body taking the piss. "I could eat a fu- oooooohhhh"

He was cut off half way when his eye was drawn to the girl, now holding what looked to be some sort of bento. She smiled and opened it and to his delight he saw the best thing in the world.

Bread…

"You can have that if you like." Chirped the girl.

"You sure?" The boy asked. "Don't you need it?"

"No, I ate a while ago." Was the reply he got.

That was all the encouragement he needed. He reached out toward the bread and grabbed before chomping down on it. He almost passed out from the sensation. He felt his stomach calm, his body relax and he felt over the moon! He looked at the girl, sweat dropping. He looked down and saw that half of the bread was gone already. The boy cursed mentally, why was food so temporary?!

"Wow, that's impressive." Laughed the girl, giggling even more when he replied by shouting. "I haven't eaten in three days okay!" She didn't stop laughing for a minute whilst he finished the bread off, looking like he was spotted ballet dancing in the middle of the street.

"Ok, thanks." the boy started, the girl flashed him a smile. "But where the hell are we?..."

The girls expression dropped, the boy got wary again. "This is..." Se breathed in, readying herself. "The chrono noise guild..."

That made him raise a brow. This place was a guild? Didn't seem like one, if it was then why was there a prison cell? And judging by the girls expression, it didn't seem like a nice place.

"This is a guild huh?" He asked, his tone suggesting suspicion. "Then are you a part of it?"

"No..." The girl looked down again, her face sad. "I'm..."

"Doesn't matter." The boy interrupted, shocking her. "I don't think guilds have holding cells. They have a cellar or a basement sure, but never a cell." He clarified at seeing her looking at him with confusion.

"H-How would you know?"

"My old master explained it to me once..." His voice suggested no more room for questioning, the girl shivered, moving on.

She only just realised that because of her, he was in this with her now. He had nothing to do with this and yet he had been dragged into this because she was seen with him. She bowed her head once more, confusing the boy.

"Uh, i'm sorry for getting you caught up in this, if y-"

"Hey, don't worry about it." He reassuringly. "I'm fine, and I haven't had a single bite to eat in three days. So cheers for that pick me up." He gave her a rare grin. "So why are you here to begin with?" He questioned, leaning against the wall as he put his arms behind his head.

"O-Oh! Well, you see because-" The girl caught herself before she could say anymore, looking at the nonchalant boy. "Wait a minute, why were YOU down there?!" The girl saw the boy look at her, completely flummoxed for a second before he realised what she ad just asked.

"Hmm, how do I put this?" The boy mumbled… "I am trying to get to Magnolia, I heard of a guild from some townsfolk three days back about their being a strong guild in Magnolia, in the west." The girls eyes widened.

"The west?" She asked, surprised he was willing to travel that far a distance just to join a guild. "That's kinda far right?"

The boy nodded, careful not to hit his head, it still ached from the incident. "That is why I intend to take a train there."

That seemed to satisfy the girl.

 _'been a fair bit of time since I sat down and actually talked with another human being…'_ The boy thought, the girl was easy to get along with and she seemed to be easily excitable, if not also easy to scare… he found that he rather enjoyed the company.

"In a way, it is kind of a breed between a journey and intense training..." he smirked. "I want to get stronger, I want to protect those come to see as family, friends and so on and so forth." He put his right fist into his left palm and felt his magic awaken as he began to craft something between his hands. "I want to join that guild, and grow strong. Then again that is every mages dream isn't it?" He grinned and removed his hands from eachother and revealed a beautiful and detailed rose.

The girl looked at it in awe, his magic was so nice, so free! It reminded her of how limited her magic really was. She looked back at the boy and saw him doing something else. He was standing, his hands at his side and his magic flaring up again. But instead of putting his hands together, he just stood as a pinkish ice began to spread over the floor. She almost took a step back when the ice began to form on his arms. Creating deadly looking ice shards.

"i also plan to destroy any demon that shows up." he looked up. His grin replaced with a frown. "No demon can possibly be nice and caring, all they do is kill and ruin lives… So I plan to do the same to them." His voice came out rough and angry.

The girl looked at him for a second with wide eyes, the boy's magic felt completely different to his previous creation, which she held still! The magic felt much more stronger and deadlier whilst keeping the same freedom as his last magic did! He also held a strong hatred for demons though, that made her wonder just how he managed to end up with such animosity towards the beings.

This boy was both sweet and scary…

The ice around the boy dissipated and he looked at her with sadness in his eyes. But before the girl could say anything he shook his head and went back to leaning against the wall. Her eyes once again drifted to the flower in her hands and she couldn't help but admire the craftsmanship. She was stunned to say the least.

"This is amazing!" She finally exclaimed. He looked at her with a smug grin. "A flower made of ice! I love it!"

"You can keep it if you want, but it will melt eventually." he warned, but he then got tackled into a hug from the girl.

"Thank you! This looks so nice!"

"That's because my magic is the embodiment of freedom, and defence" He remarked, adding the last bit on as an afterthought…

The girl released him after a minute. He took a second to catch his breath, the girl had one hell of a tight hug!

"What's your name?" He asked.

The girl smiled. "My name is Nano, Nano Leaf. And you are?" 'Nano' asked.

"I'm-"

"Alright girl, time for you to work, get out..." Grunted slacks man, who was now on the other side of the cell bars. "Now!"

Wordlessly, Nano walked out, leaving the boy glaring angrily at the man, who just smirked darkly at him.

"I wouldn't be looking so defiant little boy..." he taunted, only making the boy growl. "Soon, you will be one of us." Slacks man said before shoving Nano forward harshly with a thump.

"Wanker..." The boy growled. He didn't have to shove Nano like that. "But never show your keys to me, I may just do something really stupid." He stated quietly with a grin. Before clasping his hands together and letting his magic do the rest.

Time to do a little exploring…

:::-((x))-:::

"I brought her Nez-san..." Slacks man stated politely. When nano laid her eyes upon him again she almost passed out from fear.

Nez Booms was a very short guy, but he walked skilfully on a pair of stilts. His face was a frightening combination of black and white, one side of his face sported a black eye whilst the other was completely whit, same for the eyebrows and the fringe that spilt from his training dummy like costume was black too. All in all, he was very surreal to look at.

"Six seconds..." He drawled, his high pitch tone making him sound like a clown.

"Huh?" Slacks man asked, his face going white as a sheet. "What do you mean Nez-san?"

The short man grinned. "That is how late you are in brining me little Nano there." He clarified with a snarl, he suddenly looked murderous clearly enjoying watching his subordinates fear grow. "Didn't I say you had three minutes?"

Slacks man shook where he stood, his fear becoming more and more present to those around him. He could hear the more experienced members of the guild talk about his upcoming punishment and he felt like running.

But then it would be worse…

"I HATE people who aren't one time." Spat Nez, suddenly waving his tiny arms in front of him, a sadistic grin plastered onto his face.

Suddenly, there was a 'ka-chank' and everyone looked at slacks man. A magical ball was locked around his head, his face showing the pure terror as he screamed, his hands began clawing at the ball, desperately trying to get it off as the ominous 'tik' jerked him every second. Finally, he stopped struggling and his eyes watered, he couldn't do a single thing about it, he just excepted his fate with a single tear before the ball exploded. His screams of pain echoed through out the room and down the hallways.

Nano shielded her eyes from the sight before her, she hated it when Nez did this and she hoped that she could go home soon, she wanted to leave but Nez would hurt her.

And she didn't to leave that boy on his own…

Then Nez turned to her, his grin never leaving his face as he spoke. "Now Nano, let's begin..." He paused, taking pleasure in he fear. "We don't want to be late for work now right? So no more running away, or I might end up punishing you."

:::-((x))-:::

The boy grinned to himself, that idiot in slacks should never had showed him the keys. Now he was wondering around the guild halls, trying to find Nano before leaving.

He wasn't having much luck…

"How can these people know where they are fucking going?..." He ground out. "This place is a bloody maze."

Suddenly, he saw a streak of light, curious he snuck nearer to it, that was when he heard the mumbling. He raised his brow, he didn't have a good feeling about this. "This seems… Ominous."

He was about to turn back, but realised that Nano could be in there. "Dammit..." He couldn't turn back now, if he left her here with these assholes he would never forgive himself, he has already hurt enough people, no need to hurt another.

With that in mind, he readied himself before bounding into the room, he was surprised to see a gigantic black egg just sitting in the middle, he ignored it and looked around, spotting Nano on her knees with some demented clown looking guy behind her.

"Nano? What the hell is this!?" He exclaimed, just as Nano shouted 'Egg knock'.

He was shocked before, then he looked at the egg and saw a beam of light striking it, the thing what surprised him though was that the egg began forming lumps. The lumps spiked up for a second before smoothing out again, it looked as if something was trying to get out of the egg.

But what?

"How'd you get out here you stupid kid!?" He heard someone shout behind him. But before he could look he was grabbed from behind by someone large. He instantly used his enhanced strength to throw the man over him and onto the floor in front of him.

The big man landed with the grace of a drunk troll, he face smashing against the ground with a 'thud'. He looked up and saw the dark look on the kids face, shock at how the kid could even lift him he got up and tried hitting him, only for the boy deflect his blow and strike him so hard hard in the stomach that he was sent barrelling into some of the members on the far side of the room.

Murmers broke out before the guild took out weapons and readied their magic. The boy looked at them, before getting into his battle stance.

"GET HIM!" The entire guild roared as they charged straight for the boy. But just when they made it within 5 meters from the boy he waved his arm to the right and the entire group were blasted back to the other side of the room, frozen solid.

Nano watched with morbid fascination as the boy dusted himself off, as if he had been doing nothing other some troublesome job. She was shocked, he hadn't even moved yet the guilds members had been taken out instantly. Just how powerful was this boy!?

Nez looked at the boy with surprise for a second, before his face turned angry and malicious… "Don't interfere boy… Nano is busy with her work."

"Doesn't look like work to me..." Smirked the boy, taking a step closer as he spoke. "Seems more like slave labour to be honest." His expression turned angry before he broke out into a run, as did Nez.

"Ice Devil: Blizzard fist!"

"Bomb stamp!"

The boy simply avoided the stilts that were careening towards him and gave the shot bastard a might punch to the jaw, sending Nez flying back and in font of Nano, he looked up outraged, anger and the promise to kill emanated from him as he stared the boy down.

"You little brat!" Shouted Nez, his fists clenching as the anger coursing through him began to take over. "You better get running, or once I find you I will end you life!"

"So scary, coming from the tiny tim of the guild…" Snarled the boy, grinning as the little man lost his control.

"NANO YOU BETTER FINISH THAT EGG SOON OR YOU WILL BE PUNISHED BADLY! THAT DEMON NEEDS TO HATCH NOW!" He screamed at the girl, making her jump before running away. He was about to make chase, but was slammed to the floor by a massive icy hammer. He looked back and saw the boy, his face enraged and alarmed.

"A DEMON EGG!?" He yelled, but he didn't give the man the time to answer as he froze the floor in the entire room, Nez barely jumped out of the way in time and was instantly batted down to the ground by the boy who had jumped up to him from 30 feet away.

"Oof!" Nez got back up and looked at the angry boy.

The boy turned to face Nano, who had made it behind him and away from Nez. "Nano, is that abomination the reason you were dragged here?"

She nodded shamefully. She remembered the boy's comment about demons, she was afraid that he would be angry with her for her (unwilling) part in this. But instead of the attack or shouting aimed at her she got something she didn't expect.

The boy got her back onto her feet, and brushed her off before turning back to face Nez. "Nano, you said something about not being happy right?" The response he got was a little nod of the head. It was all he needed. "Well, if this is the obstacle you must overcome to gain that happiness then I will lend you my aid. I will help you as much as I can." he stated, his voice full with raw emotion and determination.

It was all too much for her to bare, this boy had only been in her life for a few minutes and already he was helping her more than anyone else (barring her parents) and was offering, no promising to help her even more! She felt something leak from her eye and she quickly realised that she was beginning to cry.

He then glared at Nez, who had been standing there watching with a dark frown. "I… Decided on something before I began my trek to the west." He stated before he took off running towards Nez again. "I promised myself that no matter how big and how strong my enemy is, I would never back down!" He threw his right arm back, as if to throw a punch, but stopped half way to Nez and point at his stilts.

"You know, I have a question. Do you like hurting people and kidnapping kids for your dirty work because you are stupidly small?" He asked, grinning at the reaction got, he swore that he could see some of the frozen members sweat drop from his comment and Nez definitely gave him the desirable reaction.

"AAARRRRGGGGHHHH! YOU LITTLE SHIT! I WILL KILL YOU!" He screamed, running towards the boy who stood there, glaring darkly at the raging midget.

"I am not called 'little shit'..." he drawled. "My name is Gray. Gray Fullbuster." with that he pushed his hand into Nez's belly and sent him flying back again. He readied his Ice-Make and stared at the furious guild master. "The student of the strongest ice mage and son of the most powerful Devil slayer to have ever lived, and I will take you down..."

With that, he charged at Nez, who did the same thing.

The battle finally began…

:::-((x))-:::

I hope that came out better than it looked…

Okay, so I hope you can see the difference in Gray's character here, still caring but more rude and much more scary than in canon. That is what I am going for.

Secondly, why is their like no fanfic's out there about Gray with the characters from ice trials? Nano, Pause and Mary are great characters so why do they get left out? I guess we better give them the love and attention they deserve…

Okay…

PHRASES OF AWESOME!

1: 'My friend once tried to film a porno movie, but there were too many holes in the plot…'

2: 'I was so excited about my theory on the law of inertia, but hasn't gained any momentum.'

3: 'DOY!'

Thanks for reading and stay cool,

-viperhat


	15. Ice Trials: Two

Sup?

The sky, hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa…

LET'S READ!

:::-((x))-:::

"BOMB STAMP!" Screamed Nez, jumping into the air and aiming his stilts at the currently sprinting Gray, hoping to catching him off guard. Unfortunately, he barely scraped his cheek, the boy giving him a cocky smirk before curling his right hand into a fist a burying it straight into his stomach, knocking the air out of him and sending him hurling back 10 feet onto the ground with a painful 'thud'.

The short man looked up with a glare and saw Gray jump into the air, covering the distance between them with ease. Nez quickly rolled out of the way of Gray's ice covered fist and swiped his feet from under him with his stilts, making the boy grunt as he landed on his back.

"I'll teach you to waste my time!" Nez growled, grabbing the boy by the collar and punching him hard in the face and leaving a bomb mark on his cheek. Grinning statistically at his achievement, Nez rolled away from Gray and watched on as Gray quickly got back up and rubbed said cheek as he realised what he had done. But he didn't begin to panic, instead he just gave Nez a disappointed frown. Which confused Nez ever so slightly.

Then the bomb stamp blew…

Nez watched with a malicious grin on his face. That pesky little boy couldn't possibly survive that, that bomb was one of his best. That bomb had destroyed the densest of metals, the boys body was probably obliterated. He heard Nano scream out the boy's name in abject horror and he quickly turned around to face her, his grin never falling off his face.

"Now, now my dear Nano." He walked up to her quivering form and roughly grabbed her hand. "We still have work to do, and we are now running out of time."

But before he could drag the crying girl to the demon egg, he was quickly blasted into the nearby wall by a cold jet of snow and ice. Nez's eye widened as his head smashed against the iron wall and let out a groan as he fell unceremoniously to the floor. He slowly got back up, staggering as he balanced himself on his stilts again.

"You know..." Drawled Gray from inside the huge smoke screen. Drawing out a gasp from Nano. "From how much you use that attack, I would have thought that would've hurt a lot more than just a little sting on the cheek." This brought out a growl from Nez, Gray got to see his enraged and stumped expression as he walked out, unscathed. "How disappointing."

"H-How are you still alive!?"

"It wasn't too difficult." Gray replied. "After all, I did just say that your bomb had no bite to it..."

"Full panorama bomb!" Nez's shout was followed up by a full armada of spherical bombs surrounding Gray. The Devil Slayer glanced around and his eye widened as he gazed at the multiple explosives. How did they get there?

Suddenly, the bombs exploded, but not before Gray jumped out of harms way, landing on the ground and quickly shielding himself from the blast.

"Ice-Make: Geyser!" Gray struck the ground and heard Nez yell in surprise as his attack froze his stilts and lifted him 20 feet into the air. "Ice-make: Cryo Cannon!" Gray dispersed his icy shield and pointed his shoulder mounted launcher at the bomb mage.

"Chill..." He smirked, shattering the ice holding Nez up before firing. The chunk of sharp ice barrelled straight towards the falling bomb mage and struck him so hard he was instantly slammed against the wall again. _'This is just too easy…'_

Gray's next thought was more along the lines of 'Oh shit!' as Nez got back up so fast he could only just track his lightning quick movements. The bomb mage had begun sprinting at him, his stilts becoming pointed. He didn't even know that Nez could do that! He formed a sharp and jagged dagger behind his back out of his Devil Ice and waited…

Nez was within arms reach now, his stilts were practically touching his fingertips now. With that knowledge in mind Gray slashed through Nez's stilts with ease, effectively taking out the mage's height advantage and making him roll across the icy floor, shouting as he continued to roll until he regained his foot hold on the ground again.

"What the-" Nez looked back at Gray, the boy was holding some sort of icicle, a dangerous grin on his face as he held a piece of wood in his other hand. Nez's eyes widened by a margin as he realised what he was holding and instantly looked down to see his stilts had vanished!

And by vanished, it was more like completely and utterly destroyed. The wooden stilts that had originally been under his feet were now splayed all over the floor. Little chips and splinters were everywhere.

"Y-You sliced them off!?"

"Hehe… How astute." Was the sarcastic reply he got. Only annoying him further. What made it worse was that Gray seemed to be trying to keep his laughter in. "Hmhm… Oh dear." He chuckled. "Now I know that I am above average height for my age, but wow!" He then began to laugh hard, the humour finally cracking through his defences. "You're even smaller than my old friend! And she only came up to my chest!"

With that said, Gray slammed his head against Nez's nose, he heard a satisfying crack and the pained yell emanate from the bomb mage. The Devil Slayer followed up by kicking him in the gut, forcefully knocking him to the ground. He froze Nez to the ground when he tried to move away from him. Gray finally arc his fist over his head and into the ground and along with his fist came a bigger, ice covered fist. The fist in question was the one that slammed into Nez's face, making a crater in the ground.

Nez managed to get back onto his feet with great difficulty, he stared at the boy in front of him, he felt a small twinge of fear within him. But almost instantly, he flattened that feeling as soon as it came up. He wouldn't let this prepubescent worm destroy all he had worked for!

Especially after said worm took the piss out of his height…

"Do you know what?" Gray's eyebrow raised as he heard Nez speak, his voice sounding malicious and taunting. "Just because you have been wasting a lot of my time, it doesn't mean that you are the only one responsible. If little Nano behind you only did what I told her too, she would have been keeping me on schedule." This was where his face took on the same sadistic undertone his expression showed. "In conclusion, not only will I make you pay with your life, but Nano shall too pay the same debt." He then laughed, his bitter hatred seeping through his voice.

But within the span of three seconds, he was grabbed by the throat and lifted off the ground, he felt Gray squeeze his neck, making him flail his arms uselessly in an attempt too remove the hand from his neck, the thick disc around his neck doing nothing to protect him from the increasing pressure. Nez managed to force his head down far enough to see the boy's angry gaze staring back at him. The hair on his head creating a heavy shadow over his eyes, making him look dare he think it, creepy?

"You try to lay a single digit on her head and I will make you suffer..." Gray growled to the helpless bomb mage. His hand tightened even further around his neck, making Nez choke from the sudden increase in pressure. He then threw him back into the crater and stalked up to the mage once more. But as soon as he went to throw a punch, Gray let out a half growl and half yelp as Nez caught him off guard, sending a punch to his face and making him reel back in shock. He then dodged the next attack by jumping back a few feet, silently thanking his enhanced strength for the needed boost.

"Not before I make you suffer, you little shit..." Nez brought his hand up in front of him, clamping it into a fist, grinning madly as he did. "Full panorama bomb!"

Not a second later after he shouted this did his bombs begin to spawn around him, he watched with glee as they began to spread further and further.

Then his glee turned into horror as he saw a huge dome appear around him, completely enveloping him and trapping him inside with his own bombs. He felt his stomach drop as the reality set in. He couldn't get out, he was going to literally blow himself up! He looked up at Gray frantically, feeling the fear creep up on him when he saw the dark smirk appear on his young face.

"It's an ice-kamakura… Very cozy and warm wouldn't you agree?"

Gray simply stood there, uncaring about the unfiltered dread appear on Nez's messed up face as the ticking started to get to him. He watched as he began banging helplessly on the ice in a poor attempt to free himself from his impending doom. After a while, he finally walked up to him, he was on his knees at this point. "So, how does it feel to be completely helpless hmm?" He asked, crouching next to the kamakura, his taunting and smug expression reminding Nez of his own face when he punished his inferiors. "How does it fell to know that no matter what you do, in the end it will all be in vain…?"

"LET ME OUT YOU PATHETIC WORM!"

All that did was make the boy laugh. But it was humourless…

"That won't make me release you will it?" Gray wagged his finger in front of Nez, a grin spreading across his features. Then his eyes looked up at one of the spherical bombs, his face then relaxed into an emotionless husk. He got himself back up, walked a few feet away from the kamakura, turned around and raised his fingers. He looked Nez in the eye and flashed him one last grin before snapping his fingers and watching the bombs detonate.

The screams could be heard from the other side of the kamakura. The Devil Slayer still stood there and let out a little huff of breath, he hadn't realised how much energy he had wasted just playing around with the stupid git.

"Gray-kun!" He turned around a just about caught Nano, who had quickly tackled him with a big hug. "That was amazing! I can't believe you actually beat Nez!" She mumbled into his shoulder, He had to strain his ears to actually hear her words but he got the message, Gray finally managed to escape from the grasp.

He was about to reply to her, but his ears suddenly picked up the hideous sound of something cracking and squelching. His eye widened as he quickly realised that the demon egg was still intact. It had remained untouched!

"The egg!" He exclaimed, horror reflected in his eyes as he watched the egg tremble, knowing that a demon would soon pop out from the egg and destroy a multitude of lives! The worse thing about that fact was that the egg was within seconds of hatching!

He could hear Nez's tired and cracked voice gleefully state that victory was his. But a smoldering glare from him shut him down quickly. Gray turned to Nano, who looked mortified about the egg's current hatching and grabbed her shoulders and turned her around to face him.

"Nano… Listen to me." He Commanded, his voice almost breaking from the fear he felt himself. "Does your magic work the opposite way around?" After she shook her head in response he quickly let go of her and rushed towards the egg. Unintentionally releasing the shocked and fearful members of chrono noise as he did so.

"What are you planning you little shit!" He heard Nez scream as he ran towards the egg. He turned around and glared angrily.

"I'm going to kill the worthless demon before it can cause any harm!"

"What!? Don't you even dare touch that egg!"

"Too late!" Was Gray's loud reply before he clenched his fist and sent it straight into the black egg's shell. The egg began to shatter and crack as the sound of Gray's punch resonated throughout the huge room.

"I-I-IT SHATTERED!" Nez screamed, his voice sounding like he was a kid having his favourite toy taken away from him.

Everyone in the room continued to stand in shock for a few more seconds until they heard a bubbling emanate from the inside of the egg. The sudden sound drew their attention over toward the huge object, Gray suddenly let out a pained yell as he drew his hand out of the slowly crumbling shell. When his hand came out of the shell Nano gasped as her eyes caught the deep orange goo that dripped off his now charred fingers. She could even see the light plume of smoke form from the blackened appendages.

"Fuck, the hell!" Gray hissed, his right hand hand went rigid and numb as the stinging sensation on his right hand had finally set in so he coated it in his devil ice, it was the only ice cold enough to numb the pain.

But a few seconds later the egg began to crack and shatter even more, pieces of the shell started to fall off onto the ground and the orange magma that was on Gray's hand began to leak out of the egg. The guild members began to back away from the room when the magma hit the floor. Gray's eye widened in fright as the liquid sizzled and popped.

It was literally melting the floor…

"Shit!" He turned around, running towards the crowd and Nano, which started them off. "It's melting the bloody ground! Get the fuck out of here!"

When everyone heard 'Melting' and 'ground' in the same sentence they all booked it even faster, the entirety of the crowd started pushing and pulling at eachother to get out of the room. But no one bother to go back for Nez.

"Hey!" Gray and a few other heard his desperate plea. "Help me!"

Gray turned his head back to face the paralysed bomb mage. "Sorry, we don't have the time to spare!"

"W-What!? N-No, help me now!"

All Nez got as a response was the turning of heads and the many footsteps becoming quieter and quieter as the bubbling and cracking of the lava behind him. He began to panic, screaming as he tried to move a part of his body. Tears began forming in his eyes as the magma drew closer and closer.

Finally, the lava had surrounded him, he had no way of escaping and through the tears and smoke from the embers below Nez could see the malformed face of the demon within the egg. The being he had tried so hard to bring life too, was staring at him with the utmost sadism as it fell apart before his eyes.

"No… No Get away from me!" He yelled, pure, unfiltered terror washed through him as his voice cracked and scratched his last sentence out.

And as the deadly liquid finally covered and devoured him, everyone in the building could hear the blood curdling scream that emanated from Nez Booms. It was nightmare fuel for certain.

:::-((x))-:::

Gray finally managed escape the chrono noise guild, he caught Nano when the forceful blast knocked her into him, he looked over her head and his eye gazed upon the falling embers of the dome-like building as it continued to sink further into the ground. He was mesmerized from the sight, the trees and shrubbery began to block his view of the destruction but he still managed to see the final slab of metal disconnect from the wall it was attached too…

"Oh god." He got Nano up onto her feet before hunching over, breathing heavily. "Can we get to the village now? I feel a bit tired."

"Sure… Gray-kun?" She looked over at the ice mage, smiling as he looked over to her.

"Haah… Yeah?" He asked. "What is it?"

"Thank you..."

The sincerity in her voice as well as the expression of happiness on her face stunned Gray, it had been a long time since he had seen such a genuine look of happiness on anyone's face. It took him by surprise and it felt like his body was unable to move.

Had he actually made someone happy?…

If he didn't know better, he would have played off her thanks as a prank of some sort. But after everything that had transpired in the last hour he had many dots to connect. And connect he did. He met Nano in the forest, she had been running away from the Chrono noise dark guild, he got roped into the mess and he ended up destroying a demon egg and making the one behind it all pay with his life. He hadn't forgot the lack of any reaction from hearing the guy's dying screams and it scared him to some extent. He had seen some much pain and death in such a short time that he was desensitised to the concept, only certain souls got a reaction from him now.

It helped somewhat that Nez deserved every second of pain he endured before expiring…

"Gray-kun?" He reeled back slightly at seeing Nano's hand wave closely in front of his face. Almost tripping over himself and making the girl jump from his sudden motion. "You okay?"

"Y-Yeah, i'm fine. Just tired." He shook his head, ridding himself of those thoughts for the time being… "Let's get out of this forest shall we?" Getting an enthusiastic nod of the head from Nano, the two began to make their way towards the her home village.

"Hey, Gray-kun." Gray looked over at Nano, almost instantly did he regret it as her hand shot out and bopped him straight on the noggin.

"WAHH!" He moved away from the offending hand and regained his balance before glaring at Nano. Or where Nano was previously standing.

"You're it!" She giggled playfully, running away from him as he stood there dumbfounded for a second before he suddenly smiled back and took off after her. Nano didn't expect him too zip in front of her and wrap her in a big hug, completely capturing her and preventing her from escaping. She let out a cute squeal from his quick actions and laughed as she attempted to get out of his grasp. "Hey, that's cheating!" She laughed.

"Yup." Gray smirked. She stuck her tongue out at him in response. "Oh and one thing." Nano tilted her head quizzically, her puzzled expression turned into one of shock when he bopped her head in a similar fashion to how she did him. "You're it..." Within an instant Gray released her and sprinted off away from her before she could react.

"H-Hey, come back here!" She shouted, her competitive spirit kicking in as she pushed past the bushes and branches in an attempt to catch up to her new friend. "I'm gonna get you back Gray-kun!" She made her way up a hill in front of her, she could clearly see Gray standing at the top, he seemed oblivious to her approaching footsteps. She felt a devious grin form on her face, she was going to scare him good.

A few seconds later, after making her way up to Gray, Nano took a deep breath and got right up to his ear. But just as she was about to scream 'it' in his poor ear, she felt the breath leave her as her eyes gazed across the familiar sight of her home village.

"aahhh..." She could no longer hold her breath any longer. She was quickly reward with the funny sight of Gray jumping high into the air and yelping in a high pitched voice. She almost forgot that he was here! "Sorry!"

He looked at her, fright flashed in his eyes for a moment. _'What is it with people scaring the shit out of me?!'_ "S'alright!" He caught his breath again and looked out towards the village. Staring at it as if it was a piece of candy. He looked over at Nano and realised that she had begun walking quickly towards it. "Looking forward to seeing your parents again?" He asked, gaining her attention. "I mean, after everything that has happened I am assuming that they will be glad to have you back."

"Oh yes, definitely!" She chirped. But she then turned away from her friend confusing him, wasn't she supposed to be happy in this situation? But before he could ask her what's wrong she turned back to look at him, all traces of joy gone replaced with a freakishly serious expression. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Yes?" Gray frowned.

"A personal question..."

"..."

He thought it over, it really depended on what the question was.

"What's the question?"

"Well… Where are your parents?"

 _'Oh… dammit…'_ So THAT was the question she wanted to know…

Gray's face fell dramatically, a brief flash of his fathers burnt corpse popped up in his mind, he remembered the one traumatic memory he had pushed away for a long time of a women holding a huge, sharp knife up to his face at a very young age. Other horrible memories followed those two, Deliora, his injuries, Ur, Jade…

Nano, instantly regretted asking that question as she watched her friend shake slightly, scared and sad for her friends reaction, he seemed to be struggling to hold back tears, if the scrunching of his eyes was anything to go by.

"Y-You don't have to answer that."

He shook his head slightly.

"No, no… I uh-" Gray struggled to find the words he was looking for, like he knew what he wanted to say but he couldn't vocalise them. "Damn it Nano, I-I will tell you what you need to know. My father Is dead and my mother tried to kill me a long time ago. I don't want to say any more than that."

"Oh, i'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine, you're question just took me by surprise is all."

"Oh, right well… should we get going then?" She asked hesitantly.

Gray inhaled deeply, calming his nerves and his mind before looking at the worried face of Nano, he shot her a reassuring smile and nodded lightly. "Let's get you home..."

:::-((x))-:::

(10 minutes later)

The two kids were walking through the silent streets of Nano's home village. Gray didn't know the name of the village he was in but it had the normal aesthetic that every northern town had. The building's were a mix of white chiselled stone houses and huge wooden manors that had no pattern to there placement.

The thick layer of snow had ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with his completely genius guess…

Gray looked over to Nano and was about to ask her where she lived, but before he could she took off, literally bolting down the long street, making a bee-line for the white house in front of her, tripping over once before getting back up and running even faster, if that was possible…

"Hey, Nano!" He exclaimed, trying his best to keep his voice down. "Wait up!"

His words fell on deaf ears of course, he ended up having to sprint using his magic to speed him up to catch up to her, she made it that far away.

"Mama! Papa!" She ran to the front door and knocked hard and fast. She continued to bang on the door until two people opened up, looking like they were about to shout at someone for waking them up at night. Then they looked down and their faces went from annoyed to shocked, then finally to outright joy.

"Nano!" The pair screamed, wrapping their daughter in a tight hug, holding on to them as if she would turn into dust if they let her go.

The women broke into tears, but her face showed anything but sadness. "You're back… You're still alive, thank god!" Anything she wanted to say was subsequently drowned out by her overwhelming need to cry.

The man, presumably the father didn't say anything, he just held his daughter and sniffled as he tried to control his flaring emotions.

"Mama… I missed you..."

"Hey, what about me!?"

Nano and her mother let out a laugh at the exclamation. "You too papa."

"That's better..." He gave a teary grin.

The mother then turned her daughter around to face her. Her expression turned serious. "What happened?" She asked. "Where have you been?"

Nano looked at her mother, the expression looked like would blow up if she didn't get answers right away. The tears in her eyes didn't make it any less hard to keep it from her. But before she could respond she heard Gray shout out her name.

"Nano! Damn it where'd you go!?"

"Hmm?" The father looked up to see the figure of a young boy, around Nano's age, looking around like a lost chicken, it was almost humorous if were not for the fact that the boy knew Nano's name. Suddenly, Nano shifted out of their grasp and made her way over to the lost looking boy.

"Nano, I am not a bloody tracker dog! I don't know my way around here!" Gray no longer cared about disturbing the population, now he just wanted to find nano and complain about her sudden behaviour.

"Gray-kun! Over here!" His ears perked up and he turned around to see nano waving her arms at him, jumping as she tried to get his attention. Behind her he could see two figures running up to her, he was about to warn Nano but then they stopped just 2 feet behind her.

The one on the left was a women with white hair that fell down to her jawline. She was around roughly 5, 9 in height and she wore a dark red gown. She looked at him with a confused yet guarded expression.

The other one was a male. He had a hair similar to his fathers with a short yet sharp beard that laid under his chin. He wore the same colour gown as the woman but he looked at him like he was an enemy.

Creepy…

"Nano?!" He ran over to her, stopping just a few feet from her. "Where in the hell did you go?!"

"How did you lose me when I ran in a straight line!?" Was her reply to his question. She almost face-palmed when he looked at her in confusion. "you're like that Zoro guy in that manga." She giggled as he glared at her.

"I do not get lost once a minute thank you very much."

"Yeah, right..."

Gray refused to answer her…

:::-((x))-:::

"Okay, so you were abducted by this Nez character and forced into incubating a demon egg. You then tried to escape and you came across this… boy." He ignored the glares from Nano, Gray and his wife when he referred to Gray in that manor. "He then fought and beat Nez and destroyed the egg and you both made your way here. Am I right?"

"I can't confirm the first half." came the sardonic reply from Gray. "But the rest, that is pretty much how it went."

"I was asking my daughter boy..." The man rudely replied. Only to receive a whack to the head from his wife.

"Hisao, be quiet… Our own daughter has just stated that this boy saved her life! Not only that but he also helped her come home! Show some respect!"

"But he is a boy Yuki!" He whined. Earning a scoff from his wife.

"Don't start that again, you have already embarrassed Nano enough with the last male friend she had."

"But- but he-"

"No."

"B-"

"No, don't make me say it twice."

"Honey I-"

"That's it, go upstairs." Demanded Yuki.

"EH!?" Screeched Hisao. "I'm not a child!"

Yuki smirked at him. "You could have fooled me..."

Nano giggled, but Gray noticed the small blush on her cheeks. Her father must be a huge man child. Soon Yuki managed to force Hisao upstairs, telling him off all the way up.

"You parents are definitely… unique Nano." Gray stated as blunt as he could. Earning another giggle from Nano. "Although your father doesn't seem pleased that I exist."

"He is always like that. Mama will sort him out soon enough, he never argues against her when she tells him off." Nano replied. But soon after Gray began to feel his fatigue catch up to him. It was at this point where he now fully regretted pissing around Nez.

"You okay?" He heard Nano ask, he glanced at her and smiled. "Yeah, I just really regret playing around with Nez. I should have just finished him off right away."

Nano gasped. "You were only playing around!?"

He nodded. "People like him don't deserve my full attention… They don't deserve anyones."

He got a nod in response and when she moved over to sit on the same couch as him Yuki came back in to talk with them. She sat down on the empty couch and looked over to Gray.

"Okay, Gray is it?" He nodded. "Okay, um… What are you going to do now? I mean, you must have been doing something before you found Nano here."

He shifted on the couch. "Yeah, I was heading west." At this her eyes bugged out of her skull.

"What? Why are you going west!? That is literally miles away!" She caught herself before she shouted. Hisao was asleep.

"My master once spoke about a guild in the west that had strong mages in it. I want to get as strong as possible." He answered.

"But we have a guild here! In this village." Yuki stated. "You don't have to go to the west when it will take you so long."

"I need to get out of the north any way. It holds some… Undesirable memories for me." His voice got quiet for a second, raising alarm bells for Yuki, she noticed however that Nano, didn't react too much too her new friend fraction of distress.

But speaking to the boy she knew that she wasn't going to be able to get him to stay. He was driven, determined even, to fulfil his goal. He was going to have a lot of trouble getting to where he needed to go but she could help make the journey a tad easier for him.

"Okay, you made you're point. But please let me help you, a thank you for helping return my daughter to me and Hisao." At this she got up and made her way upstairs again. Leaving the two children on the couch.

A sombre silence fell over the two of them. Gray caught Nano staring at him sadly, it confused him so he met her gaze and held it. "What is it?"

"Are really going?" Was the instant reply he got. Her face fell a bit when she asked though, like she knew what his answer would be.

"I have too." He looked away. "My future lies there, I don't deserve any happiness, but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna fish for it."

"But will we see each other again?"

…

…

…

He didn't have a response… He looked at her blankly for a period of time and she got sadder and sadder the longer he stayed silent. Gray mentally cursed himself for not having an answer, but he gave her a small and reassuring smile.

"Maybe, if you are ever in Magnolia look for the Fairy Tail guild. Chances are I will be there." He finally managed to answer her question. He didn't know why it took so much effort to say but he didn't concentrate on that.

He instead concentrated on the massive hug he received from the girl…

"One day… One day..." She repeated over to herself, but she knew that Gray could hear her. She would be sad for some time. She didn't have many friends and she literally grew close to Gray within the two hours they have known eachother. But she would move on soon enough. And Gray had told her where she could find him if she ever wanted to find him. She would have to plan a vacation away to Magnolia when she could. But perhaps when she was old enough.

Right now seemed a bit silly…

:::-((x))-:::

(3 hours later)

Yuki had definitely helped him out…

In fact, she had basically set him up for a full and easy trip to magnolia…

After the teary and heartfelt goodbye to the Leaf family (Even Hisao) Gray departed and made his way to the train station. He grumbled a bit about waiting a full hour for the train but he had no problem with it when it finally chugged into view. He entered and walked through the narrow corridors until he found an empty compartment.

"I guess my luck is changing. An empty compartment for me?" He grinned to himself. "Don't mind if I do."

And the rest was history. He had been sitting here, in this dull looking train, waiting for Magnolia make itself visible. But that wouldn't be happening for some time… perhaps if he continued travelling for the entire day he could make it before nightfall.

But he had a sinking feeling that he wasn't just going to be sitting down and slowly dying of boredom…

"You sitting here by yourself?" Came a wispy voice. Effectively making Gray jump out of his seat and land on the floor painfully. He looked up to see an old man sitting on the opposite seat to him, looking at him with a glint of humour in his eyes.

 _'Again… Jump scares…'_ Gray looked at the man and got back into his seat, shrugging at the question. "Yes, I am." His voice sounded dry, he mentally groaned.

He needed some damn water…

"Oh?" The old man chuckled. "Look who's all grown up..." Suddenly he brought out a bento and looked at Gray kindly. "Do you wanna have breakfast with me? I only have bread and milk though."

"Sure, why not. I didn't want the rice anyway." Gray said. He reached over and handed the old man his unwanted rice, who took them hesitantly.

"Are you sure?" He asked warily. "I don't want to be stealing food from a minor."

"It isn't stealing if I gave to you willingly, have it." With that said Gray took a bite out of his bread loaf. Sighing contently as the food satiated his hunger.

"Enjoying th- ACCKK!"

With no warning the train suddenly began to rock and lurch all over the place. Throwing Gray off of his seat and sending his food onto the floor as he got tossed around by the sudden force. He caught on to a broken railing and held on like there was no tomorrow.

Finally, the train came to a halt…

Gray felt himself for any injuries and sighed in relief as he found none. Then he looked over toward the old man and rushed over to him. Checking him over.

"You okay old man?!"

"I'm fine..."

The two didn't get the chance to feel relived however, the doors on the far end of the corridor were suddenly flung open and 13 identical men with their eyes covered made their way inside. They all wore the same navy blue robes with black stripes, they all had dark and long hair that was tied around the top of their heads.

They looked really weird yet intimidating…

The one in the middle of the group began to speak.

"I apologise for our lack of subtlety." He spoke clearly and articulated his words masterfully as they rolled off of his tongue. "We are the 'five bridge family'. A dark guild that..."

Before he finished, the old man suddenly let out a pained grunt as he was lifted into the air by an unseen force. Gray looked at him for a second with a wide eye before turning back to face the men.

"Councillor Endebar-san I presume? I have a little favour to ask of you, perhaps you wouldn't accompanying us into town?"

Gray looked at the man, then back to Endebar. He saw the fear and anger in the old mans eyes and he knew he had to help out somehow. With that thought in mind he stood up fully and glared at the intruders.

"Put him down..."

The man looked at him. "What was that?"

"You heard me..." He spat, clenching his fists and forming ice around his hands. "Put him down..."

He didn't know where this trail would lead him, nor did he know if he would be able to help this old man. But with the five bridge family now blocking his way to Magnolia and with his feelings on evil bastards like them. Gray knew what he had to do.

He would fight…

No matter how hard his enemy may be…

:::-((x))-:::

Okay, writers block hit me like a fucking train this week.

Okay, I will be honest with you. I hated this chapter. I doesn't feel to good to me and I feel like I have missed out on many opportunities here. But I hope you guys enjoy this eitherway.

Nez's magic is so hard for me to write out… I am not looking forward to writing out magic similar to it.

Lastly, I don't think this is a mini-arc. Come on, the chapters are going to be around 13 if I continue to write this out from the start of the manga chapter to the end of the manga chapter.

Also, the reviewer from the last chapter. , made a good point. Not just about a harem story of the ice trials girls being with Gray, but I thought about it being more individual. Maybe I will try to make a one-shot with those pairings.

But apparently Ice trials is so obscure for some reason that the characters from it aren't even on the site's databases… Dammit fandom!

PHRASES OF AWESOME!

1: "Do you want some french fries with that salt kid? Jesus…."

2: "I'm more lost than fucking Zoro..."

3: "I'M A FUCKING SHEEP BAAAAAAHAAAHAAAHAAAA!"

Thanks for reading this, I will try to update faster, but it depends on the writers block. It has been BAD lately.

-viperhat


	16. Ice Trials: Three

Fuck Summer…. This season literally kills me inside… I am being serious here.

Also, if you want an explanation about my absence from this site then read the notice at the bottom of this chapter… I am sorry about that…

This is where I am going to try and break away from the canon dialogue, it is really hard for me to build a description around the actions and words in canon. I will try and keep the canon story on track though.

:::-((x))-:::

"I'm warning you..." Gray continued to stare the man down, ignoring the others behind him. "Put man down, now."

He expected the group to look at him with arrogance, back away or just attack him.

Or… React to his words in any way shape or form…

Instead, the group just turned their attention back to the air-suspended Endebar and brought him closer with a flick of the wrist.

"Torch-san." One of the men began, confusing Gray with the nickname. "You are a council member are you not?" Another one of the group took over, going on uninterrupted. "And you are also the warden of the mage prison 'Black vox'."

Gray didn't know what Black vox was. But apparently the old man did as he completely ceased up, his already pale features becoming almost snow white as the man mentioned it.

"Drum Bee… You can't!" Endebar began to struggle, trying to free himself from the man's powerful hold on him. He had no such luck though. "Drum Bee has been charged with multiple murders and spitting on our entire guild system!" He looked at his captor with a glare. "We don't on letting him see the light of day ever again!"

"Please don't misunderstand me Torch-san. You are to become nothing more than our 'hostage'." The man in front then stepped forward, getting right up in the old man's face and grabbing him by the chin, releasing his magic to allow gravity to do it's thing. "With you as our hostage I am sure we can come to a mutual understanding..."

He lifted his hand up and despite wearing rag's around their head's, the rest of the group started to come closer. But before they could even get close to the two they were instantly tackled by a huge icy bat of Gray's making, smashing them away from the old man and his captor.

"Get your hands off of Gramps already asshole!" The boy exclaimed, sending his ice coated fist into the man's face, making him stumble for a second, but he didn't react to the pain it must have caused. Instead he lifted Gray up and threw him into the train door on the other side.

Gray had luckily managed to land on his feet, the door under them developing spiderweb-like cracks under them as he forced himself to his feet. _'This guy uses some sort of telekinesis!_ _'_

"Oh so that's how you want to play huh?" No reaction again. "Fine! Ice-Make: Geyser!"

This got a reaction, a yelp from Endebar as he saw the man in front of him become frozen solid, his expression still vacant. He looked behind him and saw the others lifting there hands up and with panic, looked at the boy.

He didn't get much of a chance to though as he went flying into the walls and the floor for the next ten seconds. The man at the front then thrusted his arm forward and Gray was sent flying through the weakened door this time.

The Devil Slayer crashed into the railing of the train and almost fell off due to the force. However, he stuck his hand out just in time to grab hold of bar just in time, saving him from going splat.

"Okay… That hurt." He grit his teeth when the train gave a sudden lurch, almost causing him to lose his grip. Confused, he looked down, and almost immediately regretted doing so. His head dropped, allowing him to feast his eye's (or eye) upon the ground as it got further away from him.

That gave him the inspiration to pull himself back up and onto the train again…

With a low grunt, Gray managed to crawl back onto the safe and sound train floor. Thanking is luck for being so gracious to him. If it were not for that he would have been a human pancake as of now and not the nice kind either.

"Okay, definitely not going near the edge for a while..." He shook his head slightly as flashbacks of his little 'incident' with Lyon flooded the forefront of his mind. Gray could feel his breathing quicken and become erratic but he knew that he had to keep it under control. "C'mon now, The old man needs me. And I am not letting him down!"

He remembered that he was in dangerous territory at that moment, as he clapped his hands over his mouth and looked around for a few moments before decided it was safe enough to move closer to the carriage. He wasn't going to tackle them all head on in such tight spaces. It was warm and enclosed, he wouldn't be able to keep them at arms reach for long.

He needed space and temperature's that were not the equivalent to that of his father's pizza oven…

 _'I guess waiting is the best strategy for me right now…'_

So with that, Gray jumped up onto the roof of the carriage and set himself down in-between two wide ridges, deep enough to keep him out of sight. The wind didn't blow as hard in the ridge. Probably for the best, he could actually breathe now.

He would find the right moment to strike, and when he did…

They wouldn't know what hit them…

:::-((x))-:::

(2 hours later)

 _'I spy with my little eye, something beginning with B'_

Gray absentmindedly wondered about the small chance of someone clambering onto the roof, only to see him playing I spy on his own. The humour about such a concept was that they wouldn't kill him If they found him but instead laugh and throw him into the nearest mental asylum in Fiore.

He knew what would happen if they found him, the telepath's would be hard to fight just because of their magic alone and merging that fact along with the lack of space to stand would end up with him becoming brown bread.

But god-dammit he was BORED…

 _'heh… How astute Gray, how did you eeevvveeerrr find out?…'_ Suddenly, he along with the rest of the train were enveloped in a huge shadow. Raising an eyebrow, the Devil Slayer looked up and almost choked on his own saliva as his vision was met with a gargantuan black block. It was so huge in scale that the sun was blocked and part of the ground beneath it looked as if it had never seen the light of day since 70x.

"W-What?" He gaped, his eye drinking up the sight of the intimidating floating cube. "What is this? How the bloody hell is it floating!?" He struggled to keep his voice quiet as his shock began to settle in and make him forget about the little situation down below.

And he was thinking about the inside of the carriage.

"Somehow, my confidence has vanished..." Gray felt the flying train grind to a halt. He hadn't realised it but the train had made it's way through black vox and into the main control area. He didn't know why but he had heard something about a dumb bee or something like that.

Who goes to a highly controlled and maintained prison block IN THE SKY for a 'dumb bee'?

With a deep breath, Gray poked his head out from the top of the ridge, looking at his surroundings. It was nice and spacey, yet he looked up and gazed upon the armada of greenish, translucent boxes that floated in mid-air much like the prison itself. He could only just about see It but at the very top of the room he could see a bigger and thicker box. It had chains and what seemed to be extra plating around it.

Whoever was in there was obviously very dangerous. But after fighting and in a way killing Nez, Gray didn't really feel all that powerless. If anyone tried to hurt him he could defend himself just fine.

"Well then-" Gray looked back down, the gruff and gravelly voice almost startled him. Almost. "If we hand over Bee you will promise to hand over warden Torch to us?" He got a good look at the man who spoke. He looked very similar to the old man but not as old. He was wearing the standard prison guard outfit which consisted of a white one-piece suit with a bandanna covering his mouth and nose. The square patterns on the one-piece were a dark-ish maroon which travelled all the way down to the legs which looked old and completely ridiculous. No one could wear those leggings and not be open to mockery.

The entirety of the suit was a crime against fashion…

After sneering at the terrible suit for a few seconds Gray realised what the man had said. Bee. What was so special about a bloody dumb bee!?

"Don't do it Grog!" He heard the old man shout, piercing the room only to be slammed against the wall for his trouble.

"Just you wait..." Gray whispered, cold and deadly. "As soon as I get the all clear."

He saw 'Grog' (terrible name as well) close his eyes, and pinch the bridge of his nose. Inhaling and exhaling hard for a moment before looking over to the old man.

"Forgive me, but warden Torch you are the equivalent of a father to me. So please..." he made a hand gesture to the guard near one of the few terminal's scattered across the room and the guard in question hesitantly made her way over the panel. She raised her hand over the panel and Gray could see the sweat form and bead down the guard's forehead as she pressed down on one of the glowing green buttons.

A resounding beep echoed throughout the huge room and everyone looked up to the top. Gray could see the big prison block at the top shift. The thick and sturdy chains began to release themselves from the main body and the extra plating around the block had sunk into it's walls, disappearing almost instantly as it seemed to fade into nothingness.

Then the block finally started to make it's way down from the roof. It didn't float down like the rest of them however, this one just… Fell.

It fell at such a speed that Gray was concerned that it would end up drilling through the floor…

But then it just began unfolding. The visible wall had slid up, but just like the plating it didn't seem to make it past the edge of the plummeting cube. The next wall, followed suit, sinking and vanishing just as fast as the first.

This continued for a few more seconds, Gray watched with morbid fascination as the figure of a huge man stood up from his seated position and promptly leaped away from his confines Landing just next to the group of what Gray guessed to be his associates.

The man who jumped out was MASSIVE. He was much more bigger than Gray and his suit seemed to be covered in thick and tough armour plating. He was wearing a big helmet which bared a resemblance to the Camelot knight armour. Looking down, he noticed that one of the man's eye's was covered over by some sort of monocle.

Gray didn't know what else to call the man's clothing other than a weird costume. The chest-piece had two impossibly huge struts that seemed to stretch down to the gold and black belt that hugged around his waist. Other than the thick armour, the entire costume was a black-ish, purple-ish hue with a tinge of dark blue in various places.

All in all, this guy looked like a complete clown. A deranged one, but a clown nonetheless…

"You have done good my children." The hulking man stood up, looking down upon his 'children'. He made a hand gesture at them and the man at the front threw the old man towards grog and his squad. "But we still have one last thing to do."

As soon as his words passed through his lips the man Gray assumed to be 'dumb bee' made a huge leap towards the control panel. The guard had not moved from her position in fear of being attacked. It didn't do her much good as she ended up being slammed into the wall behind her, she slumped to the ground quicker than she was flung into the wall.

"Let's see if these people can handle all their previous triumphs thrown at them at once." He looked over at the group with a wide eye, his lensed eye flashing menacingly as he gazed upon them. He laughed, which sounded more like a growl before grabbing one of the levers next to him and forcing it all the way up. Taking off the handle when it reached the top.

 _'Is he insane!?'_ Was all Gray thought as he watched every single cube open in the air. Criminal's from all around Fiore began to drop to the ground. Some of them Gray recognized, one of them had a Mohawk, and had a weird leather costume on. Gray recognized him as the Tripdon Tremor. A rogue mage who had been bothering the population for protection money and attacking random tourists…

Another was a powerful mage from Isvan, Gray knew this guy specifically due to the reason that his father had been the one to beat him and send him to prison. The guy had no hair whatsoever and wore a thick, yellow bodysuit with black stripes on the sides. It seemed to be heavily padded and well protected.

He felt anger build up within him, the dumbass was trying to take over the fucking prison!

From the looks of it, the prisoners looked to be rather unhinged, years of isolation and tight, enclosed imprisonment has definitely taken it's toll on these people. The guards would not stand a chance!

He should probably do something. Luckily, their wasn't any fire so he couldn't burn more of his still numb hand. He looked down at the appendage in question and sighed, that fucking demon egg.

He was drawn back to the large man when he spoke again. He almost growled at what he heard.

"Even if by some miracle you manage to take them all down, I will simply deal with you myself." Even if his mouth was covered Gray could practically see the smirk forming under his helmet. "Enjoy your last moments alive… Good riddance."

The crooks and criminal's began to close in on the guards. Grog told everyone to defend the perimeter, but Torch and the squad could see and hear the fear and anxiousness consume his being.

"Heheheh, let's get some revenge boys." Chuckled the Tremor mage, raking his hand through his Mohawk as he drew nearer.

"Leave some for me then..." The bodysuit mage drawled sinisterly. Pulling at his sleeves every few seconds.

The two mage's words had begun a wave of taunts and chuckles as they continued to enclose Grog and his squad.

 _'We're doomed.'_ Grog knew what was going to happen. But he wouldn't let his people go down without a fight. "Prepare to fight men!"

"Sir!?"

"On my word!..."

"We can't possibly-"

"JUST DO IT!"

He couldn't control their fears, but he could motivate them to go down fighting.

Luckily he didn't have to…

"Freeze!" He heard a young voice call out and suddenly, the criminal's except the Tremor and bodysuit mage were frozen in a thick sheet of ice, Grog watched in surprise as the figure of a child leaped off of the train and landed outside of the circle of crooks. A second later after landing the ice shattered and the felon's fell to the ground unconscious.

"What?"

"Gray?" Endebar whispered, his voice laced with amazement. Grog couldn't blame him, the boy had defeated the army of criminal's, over 80 in fact and he hadn't even lifted a finger!

Even Drum Bee looked surprised…

"I think your little plan has come to a slight speed bump asshole..." Gray looked up at Drum. Grinning smugly.

"What? How did you even get here?!" Drum took two steps out and looked at the boy with a dangerous scowl. "I will give you a warning, I will let you live if you leave right now."

"Not happening Dumb." Gray suddenly leaped, pushing his feet into Drum's chest before pushing once more, Drum didn't expect the kid too have such immense physical strength and paid the price for it. He was sent to the ground next to his group as Gray back-flipped gracefully and landed a few feet in front of him.

"Take this!" He Formed a fist before throwing it in the air. "Ice-Make: Tremor!" He screamed, before he slammed his fist into the ground with a grunt. The effect was almost immediate, Thick miniature mountain-like chunks of ice popped up from the ground and quickly made it's way towards Drum Bee and his cronies.

Drum however just managed to get out of the way, jumping to the side just before the ice could impale him. Unfortunately; some of his 'children' were not so lucky. Some were instantly trapped within the ice and were unable to shatter it or remove themselves from it.

Well, until Mohawk and Bodysuit gave them a helping hand...

:::-((x))-:::

"Don't fret me old muckers, we'll have ya out of there in a jiffy." Mohawk leaned forward, transferring the weight into his leading foot. "Hold still now, this may hurt a tad." The men only gave him a curt nod in response and Mohawk took that as his cue.

"Here we go then!" He grinned and, with a grunt he raised his foot and stomped it into the ground just quickly as he had lifted it. Suddenly, the men who trapped found themselves popping out of their frozen prisons. They all landed gracefully and continued to watch their boss fight the child though.

"Really mate?!" Yelled Mohawk, the least they could've done was say bloody thank you… AT LEAST! "Fine, see if I help you next time you get trapped in ice..."

"Hey, help me now!?" Bodysuit called out from the right. He was busy taking on Grog and his squad. He ducked down to avoid Grog's swipe before placing his right hand on the ground to balance himself before using his left leg to sweep his feet out from under him.

"Resilience: X100" He grunted before holding his arm out to block the sharp sword being brought down on him.

Only it didn't cut his arm off as Mohawk was expecting it to do…

"What?… Impossible!" The guard stuttered, but he was only met with a devastating punch to his jaw for the effort, his armour dented and now painfully poking into his cheek as he felt unconsciousness take him.

"Not bad me old mucker." Mohawk grinned. "We could make a good team." The quake mage smashed his fist into the ground, which made a ring of dented steel launch some of the guards into the air.

"Might be fine to try, no promises though." He turned to whack the downed guard on the head. "Strength: X50" He brought his fist down on the guards head and he could tell that the floor was going to have a face shaped dent in it now.

"Right, we'll settle that later then, for now, let's help out ol' Drummie over there!" Mohawk began to run, followed quickly by Bodysuit, jumping over the unconscious men and women as they did so.

"I'm not done with you two!" A voice boomed out, reaching their ears just seconds before a huge staff followed after. The two dark mages, gasped as they were flung back ten feet onto their backs. Looking up, they saw the figure of Grog Foto land in the on the same spot they were blasted back from. "You will not bring harm to that child nor will you bring harm to Torch-san, not on my watch."

"I will help to boy." Grog's eyes almost bulged out when he heard the claim. He turned back to see Endebar calmly walk up next to him.

"Wh-What? T-Torch-san, you can't fight in your condition! You'll injure yourself more than you already have been!" Grog couldn't understand his father figure's reasoning for this foolish decision. But just as he was about to say more Endebar held his hand up to stop him.

"I am old, but you forget, I am the one who taught you what you know today, and it is going to take more than a few tight bear hugs to bring this old man down." He flashed a quick reassuring smirk at his apprentice. Making himself look more like a young man rather than the old man he was.

"Besides…" He looked down. "It is the least I can, knowing that the boy over there is fighting because of me." He pointed over to where Drum Bee was and as Grog followed, his eye's almost bugged out again as he watched the young boy swing around the huge man using with an icy hook before using the momentum to launch himself to one of the steel bars supporting the prison, ceiling.

The boy didn't land on it however, instead he impressed the prison guard leader yet again by somehow making Drum's lance fly up to the bars itself, followed by Drum himself. Half-way up, the boy suddenly used his momentum again and slammed his feet straight into Drum's stomach, sending him crashing into the high up wall.

The boy then dispersed his ice chain and managed to determine the perfect arc to send an icy fist into Drum's head.

Only for it to be blocked and for Drum to smash his own fist into Gray, sending him flying just as he made drum do seconds earlier.

 _'The boy can sure fight, that's for certain…'_

"He'll be fine Torch-san." He tried to reassure him.

Endebar only sighed, looking forward at the two dark mages as he spoke. "I hope you're right."

"I am." Grog just shook his head, focusing on the Mohawk and Bodysuit as Endebar was. "Fine, but be careful alright?"

"I will boy..." The old man nodded, squinting and getting ready to strike. "I will."

With that said, the two prison warden's set their eyes upon the two dark mages. And with a determined yell, they both took off towards them.

:::-((x))-:::

"Ice-Make: Cyclone!" Gray thrusted his hands out in front of him, ducking out of the oncoming lance's way just in time. After rolling to the side (due to another lance) he was rewarded for the spectacular dodge when he looked up at Drum Bee.

"Stop mov- Woahhhh ahhh!" If he had any sense off humour at all he probably would have laughed at watching Drum Bee get hoisted into the air by the huge magical cyclone, he was span around and viciously slashed by the chunks of ice and the strangely sharp shards of snow, yelling angrily before being flung out of the animated spell.

 _'Let's see how painful this is…'_ The boy grinned, turning his arms into ice and landing an uppercut to Drum Bee's face. "You think you are so powerful don't you?!" Gray yelled at him, jumping into the air after him and creating icy platform's to land on as he continued punching Drum's lights out. Silently, he begrudgingly thanked Ur for teaching him Ice-Augmentation, it was much more effective for hand-to-hand combat.

"Watch your tongue boy!" Drum quickly attempted to slice Gray in two with a downward slash of his lance, but the icy arms of his opponent halted the lance's progress without even suffering a crack. "W-What are you!?" Again, even as he was once again knocked further into the air he tried to attack Gray.

"Your worst nightmare..." Gray growled, sending one last punch to Drum's stomach and watching with satisfaction as he slammed into the ceiling, causing a resounding clang to ring out across the whole prison.

 _'I really hope this works.'_ He had never tried this out before, he hadn't even kept up with his training for the ice-augmentation so chances were this wouldn't even work.

But he needed to try it sometime…

So Gray concentrated hard, and continued to watch Drum's falling figure. Suddenly, he took a giant leap off of his new ice platform and swung his arms down, but as they did, they both began to shift and change shape, quickly growing to three times there normal size and the his hands were replaced by two huge cylindrical blocks.

He grinned, watching on as he brought his two newly formed sledgehammers down onto Drums back. Gray could have sworn that he heard a slight crack when he whacked Drums back.

But he didn't give a shit…

Meanwhile, as Gray stood on top of his ice platform, Drum was currently screaming from the fall and from the pain in his back. But the pain in his back was suddenly forgotten about when he collided with the ground. That was when he screamed. Even with his high tolerance of pain he couldn't help but groan as he tried to move.

With a loud grunt, he did manage to get back up, but looking down he could see and most certainly feel his leg bone poking through his suits leg. He clenched his eyes shut as the crippling pain shot through his body, moaning as he signalled for his team to aid him.

That was when he looked up to see a big icy anvil quickly getting bigger and bigger. Quickly realising what was going on, he jumped out of the way and made sure to fall to the ground, as not to bother his already buggered leg.

But looking up, he almost sighed in relief when he saw Gray's form suddenly get flung away from him.

"That's it, protect me while I heal children..."

:::-((x))-:::

Grog knew what was at stake here…

He knew that Black vox held some of the toughest felons to stain Fiore, some smart, some strong, some were both smart and strong. If he and the others failed to contain the situation brought to them by Drum Bee's gang…

He didn't want to think of that…

But he had never seen most of these criminal's in action, even with all of the research he had done on each one. Endebar had taught him well, but he had never been on a proper military operation before. Sure he had fought many criminal's he wouldn't have been given the prison warden position if he hadn't. But these people were said to be much more than just the common rabble, they were cunning, strong and had a tendency to get results on their escapades.

This guy in the bodysuit was no exception…

He ducked under the man's right hook and sent the end of his staff into his attackers ribcage, causing him to cringe. Grog quickly followed up by turning around and swiping his feet out from under him, sending the bodysuit man to the floor.

But before he could cast the restraining cast around him, Grog was suddenly kicked in the stomach by his opponent. He hadn't even seen him move from his spot and yet when he looked up he could see him standing up straight and glaring at him.

"Resilience: X40." The monotone voice drawled. Grog looked at the man's feet to see a magic circle and just as quick as it came it had gone. This guy was obviously skilled with his magic, that was obvious enough, he wouldn't be in Black Vox if not.

But he seriously doubted he would get the chance to ask him how his magic was so quick, being as he was forced to roll away from his kick. He recovered quickly, only to be knocked back again by his enemy's other foot which hit him straight in the chest.

Once again, for the third time, he was on the defensive. Forced to block the quick and heavy combo of punches and kicks for another minute until he found an opening in the bodysuit mage's defence, one thing that Grog excelled in doing.

It was rather convenient for him as he was training under Endebar's instructions. When he was sparring with others, he had quickly found out that he was severely lacking in strength. Of course, that was because he was skinny as a devoured chicken drumstick. However, if there was ever a use for it's lack of weight it would be it it's speed.

So, like the chicken bone he was (and still is) he waited, dodging and blocking everything he could before delivering a debilitating punch to his opponents unguarded body part, whether it be the jaw, the ribcage, the stomach.

Or god forbid, the knackers… Oh god the knackers were the worst…

Grog almost let out a little wince at the thought. But when he saw the incoming kick aimed at his face, he quickly decided to spend his valuable energy batting the opposing leg with his staff before jabbing Bodysuit in the gut with it, when he did however, he noticed a slight change in his attack pattern.

Usually, Bodysuit always fought him head on, favouring his heavy hitting strikes and evasion. But as soon as he hit him, Bodysuit started trying to create distance between hie and himself. He started trying to evade and block instead of take him down. Almost starting to bridge a gap between them as soon as he had an opening.

This intrigued Grog to no end. Maybe he had just found a flaw in his opponents magic, perhaps it could only use the enhancement once before the caster has to re-cast it.

Maybe, but he'd have to hit him to find out…

He looked over briefly to see both the kid and his father figure fighting their respective opponents and quickly rolled away from a shard of ice that had been blasted away by Drum Bee. Which worked to his favour as it closed the gap between him and Bodysuit quick enough for him to swing his staff at his enemy again.

"You are not leaving Black Vox." He taunted his enemy, he would have assumed that it had some effect on him, as Bodysuit seemed to cringe for a second at the notion. But it wasn't enough to prevent him from back-flipping over Grog's staff.

"You seem confident in that belief." Bodysuit sneered back, jumping back from another swing of the staff. "Maybe when that boy is dead you will think otherwise."

Grog glared angrily, he was just a kid! "You know, the death penalty hasn't been abolished in these parts of Fiore just yet." He grinned at the sudden reaction he got. Bodysuit stumbled back, avoiding his staff due to sheer luck, looking at him with shocked and wary eyes. "perhaps we can fit you in for an appointment with the executioners workspace just before it is taken away."

Grog didn't want to use his staffs power just yet, it needed to recharge rather desperately after. But seeing as Bodysuit was not giving up his running away tactic, he may just have to. "Just give up now, maybe we can get you away from such a fate."

His response was quite unpleasant to say the least…

And what that really means is that Grog was suddenly kicked in the face, he hadn't been fast enough to react when Bodysuit suddenly lashed out, taking him by surprise and causing him to land on his back.

"Boy! Look out!" Came Endebar's voice, Grog looked at his mentor and suddenly realised that he couldn't see the Mohawk guy anywhere.

Then it hit him… Literally…

What he didn't know was that other mage was behind him and he had obviously noticed. So taking advantage of his situation, he decided to stamp his foot and cause the floor below Grog to jut out quickly and violently. The force alone sent Grog into the air and the pain didn't help matters.

But Grog being Grog quickly recovered and landed next to his mentor, who looked rather tired in him self, but looking at his opponent showed him that Endebar had easily dealt more damage. Mohawk was breathing heavily, he had a few chain-like burns dotted around his being and a large bruise was beginning to form just above his left eye.

Grog sweat-dropped, for an old man Endebar was still one of the strongest people had ever known. This guy had found out the hard way.

But the two dark mages quickly rushed at them, throwing any sort of attack they could with reckless abandon, the prison warden's were easily able to deal with this type of fighting. Blocking and countering each attack with little to no effort.

The two dark mages obviously ran out of patience, or they were actually getting desperate…

"Mjolnir strike!" Grog quickly exclaimed, swinging his staff at the two dark mages. But as he swung down, the staff began to glow a sharp and strong green. Luckily for the two dark mages they avoided the initial downward swing. But when the staff hit the ground it somehow had the strength to send a shock-wave rippling through the ground.

Said shock-wave had sent them into the air…

"Torch-san, Catapualt technique!" Grog quickly shouted over to his mentor, who nodded and jumped onto Grog's staff, Grog then swung the staff into the air to which Endebar leaped off of the staff and summoned to white hot chains around his wrists. As he flipped so did the chains, which just happened to extend down to where the two dark mages were just starting to fall back down to the ground.

Effectively buzz-sawing into Bodysuit and Mohawk Endebar landed with a grace many men his age would kill to pull of and thrusted his right hand out at Grog, which sent the chain at his old student and wrapping itself around him. He pulled as Grog jumped at him, readying his staff as he passed by the dark mages. Just as he was going straight under them he swung his staff straight into Bodysuit stomach, Bodysuit coughed up a tiny bit of blood and shouted, but was cut off as he grunted when he felt his back smash into Mohawk.

The two were flung the same direction Grog was going and were flying just as fast as Grog was pulled. So when Endebar released Grog and caught him with one hand he shot his free hand forward.

"Ball and chain!" He shouted, as he watched the grey magic circle appear around his hand he looked over to the other prisoners and wondered how long they would stay down. The boy's impressive feat had him stunned but surely they would wake up sooner or later.

But then he was drawn to his magic iron ball shooting out from the magic circle as a sturdy looking chain followed behind. He could almost hear Mohawks back snap as the ball slammed straight into his spine.

That was how the battle ended, with a huge cry of agony from Mohawk and the unconscious form of Bodysuit laying on the floor. One unable to fight back and the other in too much pain and with a potential disability.

"This will keep them from fighting back." Grog walked forward and flung his left arm out to the left. "Restrain: Iron jacket!"

The two defeated mages were no longer a threat, just like the others…

Then again, the two still had to wait for Gray to deal with Drum Bee…

But before they could, Drum's gang quickly blocked them, leaving the battered Drum to fend for himself again the merciless Devil Slayer.

"I am afraid that you are unable to interfere with our masters affairs." Spoke one of them. "Turn back now, our master will deal with you shortly."

The two got ready to fight, although telekinesis was hard to deal with when you only had close quarter combat magic. They wouldn't possibly-

"Not before I get my turn..."

With the speed of lighting, the two prison wardens looked on in shock and slight fear when the form of a tall, muscular man dropped in-between the two parties. Facing away from Grog and Endebar.

"You shall not harm our master, prepare to- ACK!"

The poor man didn't stand a chance… None of them did…

Before they could react all thirteen of them were on the floor and unconscious. Standing in the centre of the short lived chaos was the man. Grog and Endebar could see the mop of dark orange hair the man was sporting, as well as the brown cape.

"The kid seems to be done cleaning up, I guess I should start-"

He was interrupted when he heard the screaming of Drum Bee grow louder and louder with each passing second. Looking to his right he saw the poor guy flying straight for him, the kid not far behind him.

The man simply Caught the huge man by the neck, holding him there with no sign of struggle, even as the tired and defeated Drum Bee desperately flailed in hopes of being free from the vice-like grip he found himself in.

"W-W-Who… Are you!? Release me!" He stammered, his jaw caused him pain every time he tried to talk, the kid had completely destroyed this man.

"Well, since you asked politely, I'm Gildarts, and you must be Drum Bee..."

If Drum was not completely and utterly tired and was in tip top condition, he would have tried to beat the fabled ace of fairy tail, the recognition and fear/respect he would get would've been immensely valuable to him and his campaign against the council.

But, knowing that he had just been beaten senseless by a boy, who must have been around 8 or 9 years old no less. He decided to just allow himself to be thrown THROUGH THE FLOOR.

Into the dirt below.

But hey, at least he got out of Black Vox for a few seconds…

:::-((x))-:::

"We cannot thank you enough for what you have done here today young man." Grog took a hold of the boy smaller hand and shook it. He noticed with glee that he received a firm grip and a shake just as dominating as his own.

"Yeah, sure..."

"Gray, this is very big, for someone of your age to be able to take on our most powerful prisoner and beat him with little effort shows that-"

"He has balls, and a lot of potential too." Endebar looked over to see who interrupted him, it was the legendary Fairy tail mage Gildarts Clive. He walked up to the three and shook the hands of Grog and Endebar before turning to Gray and kneeling down to face him.

"Hey kid, I saw what you did in there, and I must say that was some really entertaining show you put on." he grinned at the boy, who grunted irritatedly. He chose to ignore that little response. "Slamming Fiore's 'deadliest' felon around like he was some slab of meat is already quite impressive, but the fact that you are what? 7? 8?"

"8 and a month away from being 9." The boy was curt with his answer, not elaborating any further than what was necessary. It was rather unnerving, even for Gildarts and he was bloody SS-class!

"Oooookay…." He thought carefully about what to say next. "Your names Gray right, I thought I heard the old man there shout it out earlier."

Gray nodded.

Gildarts only then realised that Gray was sporting a black eyepatch, he didn't show I but he wanted to wince at just seeing it now. He felt a magical pool on the boy, more foreign than what he felt during the whole fight with Drum Bee. Looking down he saw a silver ring, it seemed to be the source but Gildarts knew better than to question Gray on his choice of fashion, as much as he found the ring to clash with the mostly black clothing and brown longcoat.

Gray quickly noticed the stare Gildarts was giving the ring and hid it behind his back, making the older man look up.

"Who said you could stare? I certainly didn't." Was all the crash mage got from him. He was really starting to get annoyed by the boy's attitude towards him.

"Where are you heading?" Quizzically, he looked at the boy's face for some sort of answer, of course only getting a verbal response because Gray was so god damn stoic, the only expression he seemed capable of forming was 'irritated'.

"Why do you want to know?" Gray responded defensively. Like he would just tell some random stranger where he was headed.

"Because people don't come out this way unless they have a direction or a plan in mind young man." Grog cut in, providing Gray with a good enough reason. He couldn't argue after-all, Grog had hit the nail on the head their.

He looked over to where Gildarts was leaning, seemingly tired of kneeling down. "I am headed west."

that got Gildarts attention…

"West? To where?"

"To Magnolia."

Gildarts suddenly knew where this was going…

"Why?"

"I want to find and join Fairy Tail."

 _'Fair enough I suppose…'_ Gildarts could see why he would be heading west now. It was Fairy Tail. But he wanted to know 'why'. Obviously Gray managed to catch his expression, the one he used when asking 'why' specifically.

It was like everyone knew when he was asking 'why'…

"Because I want to become strong, protect those weaker than me. I don't think you need to know much more than that, everything else is personal." Gray suddenly began walking away, but he was suddenly stopped by Gildarts.

"Well, lucky for you, I happen to be going back that way too."

"Well why would I go with you?!" Gray wrenched his arm free, he looked at Gildarts with the same expression he had when questioning him, as if mocking him.

'why'…

Cheeky runt…

But the SS-class mage kept his cool, simply moving his cape away from his left pectoral, showing Gray the thick armour beneath the cape, but also the insignia of the famous guild.

He almost fell backwards, if it wasn't for his pride to look cool…

"So..." Gildarts said once again with an arrogant smirk. "Do you wanna tag along with an old man?"

:::-((x))-:::

So after a month I have finally go this bastard done…

Sorry for the long wait, but thing have been getting hectic. Also recently some personal family matters have come to my attention and that has been weighing on my mind… By recently I mean two days ago…

But I still remember what I said back when I was still writing the first season of The Ripple effect. I hated seeing stories given up or abandoned. I will not do that, never I will see these things through, but college and family come first.

But that aside I have a surprise for you all next chapter, It stays cononical but I decided to add a new big feature to the TOI world.

But anyway…

Here is my new thing I have. I call it…

VIPER'S VIEWS!

So I am sure you are wondering, "Viperhat, this seems awfully weird, do explain." Well, it is rather astute of you for saying that (also quite convenient). Here's the gist of it.

At the end of each chapter, I will ask for some sort of topic from you guys, I will then speak my views on the topic you have asked for my views on and put the name of the reviewer above the chosen topic, thus the title Viper's views.

Example: I end a chapter and say "Submit a topic you want me to give my views on."

You then do that and I will pick the topic to talk about at the end of every few chapters. If I get to much I will simply say stop for a bit and when I need some more I will say submit topics…. I am sure you get the idea.

I know it sounds quite… dull. But it is rather hard for me to make up little things to interact with you guys when all I can do is types words down on a document… :s

but for now, thank you for reading and stay cool,

-Viperhat


	17. Ice Trials: Four

Welcome back to the most M-rated sex show yet!…

Oh wait, this isn't a Sam pepper video? Oh, okay, never mind…

Heh, Sam assault and pepper

As usual, any review or any type of support is greatly appreciated. Thank you babe.

LET'S READ!

:::-((x))-:::

(3 Days later…)

"Hey kid, wake up." Gildarts gently removed the sleeping Gray from his back and stretched his arms out, sighing in comfort as his muscles slowly drained out the tension from them. The Crash mage felt his back come into contact with the solid rock wall behind him as he slid down and brought up one leg up to his chest. "Time to eat." He grinned.

"No it isn't." Was the response he got. The grumpy tone along with the truth behind his slightly mumbled words was infuriating. Gray rubbed his right eye and looked around, he struggled to adjust to the piercing light, but he could see the massive hills in the background. Looking in front he could see the town they were headed to. "The hell?"

He swirled his head around to come face to face with the lazy bastard responsible for this outrage. Gildarts seemed to be content with sleeping here, even though the town was a four minute walk away.

"Hey, dozy-ass. Do you know that we are actually next to the town!?" He exclaimed. Startling the older mage out of his half asleep state. But Gray learned a valuable lesson.

Never startle Gildarts Clive. Especially when you're next to him…

The poor rock wall they had been leaning on suffered for his mistake as Gildarts; upon being frightened out of his wits, swung his metal arm into the rock wall behind them, his magic flaring up for a second.

The poor wall never stood a chance. The flying fist had decimated the solid wall within nano-seconds. Bits of tiny rubble and chunks of hardened bedrock were careened into the atmosphere it seemed. Gray coughed and sputtered, eventually covering his face to defend himself against the lethal particles.

After a minute, then dust had 'mostly' settled and the need to cover one's face was becoming less and less necessary. Gray decided to risk his health due to this major fact, and it appeared to be a worth it dice roll. First thing he noticed was that he didn't die from Gildarts attack, nor was he dead due to the thick dust around him.

Naturally, Gildarts followed suit, uncovering his face and looked behind him to see the huge hole in the wall. _'Well'_ He thought. _'At least these people have a short cut through the mountains now.'_ The crash mage laughed nervously.

It definitely didn't have anything to do with Gray's bewildered and stiff expression…

"What. The. Fuck!"

"What!?"

"Don't 'what' me!" The boy yelled, half-heartedly mocking his older acquaintance's shrilly voice. "You know what you just did!"

"You scared me half to death!" Gildarts waved his arms everywhere, thinking that it was making his point any more effective. "What did you expect!?"

"Some control!"

"Well I can-"

Suddenly, the two mages felt something wrap around their legs, unable to react in time, the tendrils trapping them shot up into the air, bringing the two along with it, leaving them hanging upside down.

"Oh come on! Can't I get a break!?" Gray shouted, his annoyance and irritation because of the last few fights he had gone through finally reached it's boiling point. "First some psycho bomber midget tries to birth a demon, then some escaped twat in a mask tries to take over a prison block, now this shit!?" He went to freeze the ice but the thick tentacle like pole (which was very earthy) began to spin the two mages around. Causing the icy blade to completely miss it's intended target. He almost threw up, his stomach taking the sudden lurching motion very hard before the earthy tendrils stopped spinning them. "When can I get some fucking rest!?"

"Right after you tell me why you decided to have a boxing match with the mountain next to you." Came a well articulated and deep voice. Gray looked up and instantly saw the figure of a young boy around a year or two older than himself.

Even thought he was upside down, Gray could easily see the long brown hair that draped down and covered a fifth of his face. The boy appeared to be around 5 feet and 10 inches tall and was wearing a pair of black cargo trousers and heavy duty combat boots which fit tightly around his toned stomach, which was visible as he only wore an open red and black checked long sleeve shirt.

He walked with a long content stride and kept his hands in his deep pockets as he slightly slouched over. Seemingly unfazed by the huge, monstrous earth appendages. Gray couldn't hear much over the sound of earth crumbling and scraping against itself but once it got to a point where the noise was reducing for a short space of time he still couldn't hear the boy's footsteps.

Yet, despite the wind blowing his hair away from his it, Gray had trouble making out any feature on the kids face, due to the heavy swinging he was subjected to. But for a kid with no obvious slayer magic, he certainly had a body and a half… The muscle was clearly showing through the thin fabric of the shirt.

Then he noticed something he had overlooked. The kid had a heavy duty belt around his waist with loads of medium sized pouches lined up around the entire belt.

He also noticed a small trickle of earth form another tendril out of one of the pouches….

This guy was a mage! An Earth mage!

"Hey kid, are you quite done checking me out?" The mysterious mage asked, visibly grinning in mirth at Gray's loud reaction, which was to shout at him to 'shut up', whilst waving his arms trying to make himself seem intimidating. That however was rather difficult, seeing as he was winch up into the air by his feet. No matter how scary one may be, once they are trapped like Gray and Gildarts were they became as scary as a newborn kitten.

Without the cuteness of a kitten…

"Listen, I know I am fabulous to look at but can you snap yourself out of your stupor and answer my question?" He took a few more steps closer, all whilst keeping an eye on the two mage's.

Then Gildarts decided to intervene… It seemed that he could only take so much animosity and talking before losing his patience.

With the speed and strength of a million vulcan's, the kid found himself somersaulting away from a sudden burst of crushing magic, it had engulfed his earth tendril's and he watched with a flummoxed expression as they quickly crumbled and slammed back into the ground faster than they had risen.

Both Gray and Gildarts both landed safely on he ground. Both took a moment to check themselves for any bruises or injuries before Gray suddenly looked up at the boy who just watched them.

"What's your problem!?" Gray growled, he forced himself onto his feet and began to make his way towards their attacker. Even though there was about 20 feet of ground to cover, Gray found himself up and in the boys face. He could now make up the rest of the boys facial features.

He was pale. Very pale, almost snow white but not an unhealthy white, he clearly wasn't ill or under any sort of emotional stress so it must just be his normal skin tone. The boy sighed in boredom, breathing in Gray's face, but it didn't smell bad by any means. But not good either, in fact his breath had no smell to it.

But dragging his eye away from the weird skin tone, Gray looked up and saw his eyes, they were a cold steel looking grey colour that seemed to showed no emotion. Despite the boy's clear emotional expression earlier.

Then Gray noticed the thing that made him shiver…

The boy's eye's were both slashed in an 'X' like fashion, leaving scars around his eyes but not a trace of damage to the eyes, but they looked deep and painful, still red and sore looking.

How did he manage to get scars like those?…

Then he blinked harshly, his nose had picked something up.

The scent of fresh strawberries and mint suddenly hit him like a tone of bricks, it wasn't what he was expecting. He expected to smell either meat or sweat for some reason. But he quickly deemed this as a better result.

Who'd want to smell like sweat?…

The kid shifted slightly, as if uncomfortable with his current posture. He removed his hands from his pockets and rubbed the back of his neck with the right before he looked down at Gray, who had noticed that he had been wrong with the assumption on his height, he wasn't 5 - 11.

He was 6 - 4!… Gray was tall, around 5 - 8, but this kid dwarfed him by miles in comparison!

"My problem, hmm." He paused to think about Gray's question with a really puzzled expression that couldn't be genuine. And it wasn't as he suddenly smirked and opened his mouth to answer. "ADHD, ODD and maybe a trace of OCD." He laughed, thinking that the answer was funny before winking cheekily. "Although I don't think they are problem's, I mean, everyone has their quirks."

This kid was really starting to piss him off…

"Listen, I really don't have the time to be wasting it on you, so just back off and let us pass." Gray gestured to Gildarts behind him, watching the taller kid with wary eyes. But he didn't stay quiet.

"Listen kid, what the grumpy guts here is trying to ask is why did you attack us?" The crash mage didn't let his guard down though as he questioned the brunette.

The kid looked at Gildarts with a raised eyebrow. "I didn't attack you." He scrunched his face up, thinking about something. "It was more of a precaution if anything."

At seeing their expressions, the kid elaborated…

"Look, for all I knew I was about to be dealing with bandit's or something. Now I can handle myself rather well, but I am not stupid enough to not take any steps to keep myself safe from harm." He took a deliberate step back and away from the ice mage. "Personal space super-frown." He rebutted, causing Gray to growl.

Gildarts seemed to find the kid's answer acceptable, letting his rigid guard drop as he relaxed. "Okay, what's your name kid, I like to remember the names of those who surprise me."

"What?" Gray gave a him weird look. But the kid answered over him and the ice mage couldn't help but think he did it on purpose.

"The name's Vali. That's pronounced Vah-Lei. Just so were clear." Vali Gave the two a twist of the wrist, sticking his forefinger and middle finger out. When Gray gave him another look the earth mage sighed. "You really love your stares don't you?"

"No!" Gray waved his arms up and down quickly as he raised his voice. "I just want to know what 'this'" Gray mimed Vali's motions, sticking his finger out only near the end instead of before. Vali snorted.

"Oh, that's just my way of greeting people…." He gave Gray his two-fingered salute once again and Gray just shook his head and turned away to face Gildarts.

"Let's get going."

The crash mage looked like he was about to argue, but a look from Gray stopped any sort of reply he had. He trudged over to where he put the sack and checked it too make sure that nothing had been taken before slinging it over his shoulder and walking over to Gray.

"Fine, come on then." Gildarts motioned towards Gray, who followed.

But before they began to walk away, Vali called out to them…

"Hey! Wait!" He jogged over to them as they turned around to face him. Gray looked annoyed and Gildarts confused. "Where are you guys going? I haven't seen you around before."

Gildarts just grinned.

"Oh, well, I am on my way to my next job. Gray here is looking to join Fairy tail. So we need to catch a boat to the other side of this town." Vali's eyes widened at the answer he got.

Just what he needed...

"So wait, you-" He pointed at Gray. "Are going to join Fairy Tail?" He got his answer in the form of a nod. "Well, how coincidental. I happen to be trying to get there myself!"

"What?" The ice mage looked at Vali with a shocked stare. "You want to join to?"

"Yeah, I finished my course in the academy a while back and I was told that with my skills that should join the No: 1 guild in all of Fiore." Vali stuffed his hands back into his pockets before looking at the crash mage with pleading eyes. "Mone is the a border town that separates the East and West, yet I can't get out of this town because my cash flow is practically non-existent and my skills aren't exactly needed here."

The earth mage was in slight shock and a bit of apprehension. Was this guy going to help him out? Or was he going to waste away here for millions and millions of years? Okay, that was a slight exaggeration… But he wasn't getting anywhere here and he couldn't get the money he needed to get across with starving to death or dying of thirst. The help would really be appreciated.

After what felt like an eternity of time had passed, Gildarts smiled, nodding his head.

"Sure, feel free too. I am sure Gray could use the company of someone his age around anyway." Gildarts answered kindly, ignoring Gray's sigh.

"Again, Old man I don't need company." But he looked at Vali and grinned slightly. "But I guess you can follow me when we part with the old timer here." He laughed, dodging Gildarts fist and moving out of his reach.

Vali laughed too. "Cheers you two, I don't think I would have ever got out of this town without help." He briskly jogged up to the two mages and when he caught up with them they all set off towards the town.

"Oh and sorry for attacking you two earlier..."

"I thought you said it wasn't an attack."

"Yup..."

"...Never mind..."

:::-((x))-:::

The town was certainly busy…

And by busy, I mean busier than the council on spring break…

The town was almost completely vacant. A few people still roamed the streets but there was plenty of room to move and spread your legs. Vali took advantage of that fact and began to taking long strides to keep up with Gray and Gildarts.

Gildarts looked around, trying to spot any docking area in the area but all he could see was a big lake. He turned around and looked at the earth mage, who stopped and looked back with a confused stare.

"Vali, you know this town. Where are the docks?"

Vali leaned to the right and squinted. Before he lifted his finger up and pointed to the left, just behind the white house at the end of the street. "Down there, to the left, it will take a minute or two to make it there but they always have boats coming in and out." then he stopped and paused to think. "Although, lately they haven't been as frequent… Not too sure why though. Mone has never been so low in it's shipping industry..."

He looked over to his left, thinking he heard something only to see a piece of clothing hit the ground as soon as he laid his eyes on it. He raised his brow in confusion, looking up to see the culprit.

"Gray…?" He called over, gaining both Gray's attention as well as Gildarts. "Listen, I am sure you like the look of yourself. But do you really need to strip out in the open?" He pointed to where the crumpled jacket lay and snorted. "I am going to have to tease you now." He fiddled with his belt, grinning whilst he did so. "You know that right?"

"Shut up earthworm." The Devil Slayer shoved past Vali, trying to block out the sound of laughing as he bent down to pick his jacket up. "Just keep 'that'-" He pointed at Vali's mouth. "Shut and I won't turn you into a popsicle."

"Ouch. That's 'cold' man."

"You call yourself an earth mage, yet you have your head so high up in the sky it's impossible to get through to you." In a fit of irritation, Gray threw his discarded jacket at Vali, which went further than it should have.

But even with the unforeseen feat, Vali still caught it with ease...

"My, my how clever. I can just see the originality oozing out of your comment." The earth mage chuckled, throwing the jacket back and pivoting back to catch up with Gildarts who had seemingly gone on without hearing or seeing the transgression between the two boys. Soon enough they found the docks. The only boat left was fairly bug by boat standards and had more than enough room to get the three across with no trouble.

Then Gray spotted a poster sitting on top of a stack of crates. The paper hung over the edge and was slightly torn at the side but it wasn't enough to make the writing illegible.

"Hey old man." Gray walked over to the poster and picked it up, studying the contents. He heard Gildarts behind him, complaining about being called old once more before hobbling over to where he stood.

"What's it say?" Vali asked from the other side before going back to rummaging through the open crate.

"Let me see." Gildarts quickly snatched the poster out of Grays hands, eliciting a scowl from the one-eyed boy.

It read out:

 _ **Warning!**_

 _A giant marine creature_ _nicknamed 'Unicol'_ _has been skulking around our bay for many months, swallowing up ships and the people along with it. Travelling through this route is extremely dangerous and you heavily advised not set sail through these waters until further notice!_

Down below the description was a picture of the beast. But it was clear that whoever had taken the picture was either really bad at his job or he was too late with the shot. All that was clear was the huge shadow lurking under the water, everything else was completely twisted and horrifyingly distorted to the point where anything else was an indistinguishable blur.

The crash mage blinked at the poor quality of the poster. Although the thought was very nice indeed he had already known of the Unicol. Then he remembered….

He didn't let Gray or Vali know about that slight detail…

 _'Oh christ, i'm in so much shit….'_ Gildarts cast a quick glance over to where Gray had walked off to help Vali, who had somehow managed to trap his shirt on the many sharp hooks spilling out and over the open crate. The sight was amusing, but knowledge of the auditory drilling he would get from the Devil Slayer drained anything laugh that possibly could have risen.

Gray could be very intimidating when he wanted to be...

"Hold still will you!?"

"I'm trying! The hooks are digging into my back!" Vali gave Gray a glare and continued to twist and turn as he tried to wriggle free from his captives grasp. But the hooks were relentless…

And Gray got tired of dealing with them gently. "Screw it. Vali, this might sting a little."

The earth mage turn to look at him questioningly, but before he could ask him what he meant by that, he felt a strong tug on his shirt and yelped when the hooks scraped across the small of his back and tore away from the red and black cloth.

He fell to his knee from the sudden action, taking a moment to let his body catch up with his brain before shambling on to his feet with a wobble.

"You just ripped my shirt!" He exclaimed, roaming his hands across the torn fabric with a wistful sigh. Gray just scoffed.

"You can get a new one when we get out of Mone." Gray placed the offending hooks back into there respective box and looked back to Gildarts was absolutely flummoxed by the fact that he was pale and looking at him with an overly strained grin. "What's up with you?"

He felt a tinge of suspicion twinge within him when the crash mage jumped in fright.

"Oh, n-nothing! Absolutely nothing!" Gildarts then began to walk away from the docks in a hurry, motioning for the two to follow him. "The time we need to be here by to meet the owner of this boat is in 2 hours." He told the two boys.

Gray and Vali nodded. Making their way to the restaurant near the docks. Gildarts then grinned, food was always a good way to kill time.

The way his stomach growled harshly may have been a key player in his decision...

"Hey! Wait up."

:::-((x))-:::

(2 hours later)

"I'm fuuuuulllllllll…."

"I most definitely shouldn't have ordered that Steak… Bad decision."

"I told you both."

Gray crossed his arms, shaking his head as let out an exasperated sigh. At first he was only going in to check the place out, waste some time. Then Vali followed him in, tailed by Gildarts. The older man being him, ordered a boatload of Spaghetti, Pizza and the all-round favourite Steak.

Vali finally joined in, finally giving in to the temptation of a proper meal. Gray guessed that the earth mage had not eaten a whole lot during his travel, probably not wanting to spend it all at once.

But obviously, he went slightly overboard…

"Fair enough, but at least give me some leeway. I haven't eaten anything worth being called food for a good few months. Like my Gravity magic it sort of becomes a thing I end up neglecting, not willingly might I add!" Vali stated, adding the last bit of the sentence on when he saw the alarmed expression pop up on his face.

"Good, I thought I would have to keep an eye out on you, umm..." Gray realised the joke he had inadvertently made and blushed in embarrassment. Vali just sniggered at the unintentional pun.

"How did that happen anyway?" He asked and almost immediately regretted doing so. The room suddenly felt a lot colder and looking at Gray, he blanched. He wasn't angry or sad or anxious. He was just… Blank.

"Nothing you need to know about okay?" The Devil Slayer felt cold, and not in the usual way. Instead of that normal and familiar coolness he almost shivered at the harsh, fleeting sensation of an uncomfortable cold. Unforgiving and utterly foreboding. He made an effort to shake the feeling off, trying to focus on something else other than the mental elephant in the room.

Then it hit him…

"Anyway, never mind me." Gray spoke after a few chilling seconds, the cool temperature finally settling back down to a comfortable level. "You said something about your Gravity magic. I thought you were an earth mage."

Vali paused, thinking how he could get his answer across. "I am, primarily I mean. But my academy encouraged us to learn and learn we all did. I just happened to be in town one day and this guy was selling a few books from a local library. Saying he was giving them away for the newer manuals." He grinned. "I just happened to buy one certain book that happened to be about gravity magic. I found out that it is rather useful if you can use it right, taking down flying opponents and blasting people in multiple directions. Overall, good for making distance and inflicting damage. But uhhh, I haven't really been practising with it all that much since I started." He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly when admitting that he didn't keep up with the training.

Gray raised an eyebrow. "Wait you don't train it?"

Vali shrugged. "I don't train that much at all in general." He replied, taking a sip of his drink and swallowing with a gulp before carrying on. "I'm just not motivated enough, I have never felt the need to exert myself too much when the right amount of exercise can still get you through the day?"

"But what about those people you can't beat?" Gildarts suddenly chimed in, looking at Vali with a perplexed expression. "After all, some people can out-smart or over-power you if you don't push yourself."

Gray nodded in agreement. "Not too mention you won't find out your limit, not knowing your limit means you don't improve."

Vali didn't seem to be persuaded…

"As I said, I am not motivated enough. If I cannot motivate myself, then how can I push myself to the limit? Eitherway, I am confident in my skills and abilities. Are you guys?"

Gray open his mouth to respond, but the more he thought about it the more Vali's words made sense. He knew that wanted to get stronger, meaning that he wasn't happy with his current strength. More than likely was that even if he did make to a point he was confident with he would just want to get even more stronger.

He inwardly shuddered. _'I sound like a damn Megalomaniac…'_

Looking at Gildarts, he could see the thoughtful expression on his face. But almost as soon as it appeared had it gone, replaced by a grin.

"Well, you have definitely given me something to mull over Vali, thanks." He laughed. Vali just looked confused.

He looked over to Gray. "Did I say something funny?"

"No." Gray shook his head with a sigh. "He is just completely mad."

"Agreed..." Vali got up after a moments hesitation and motioned for him to follow. The action caught Gray off guard, but he followed his lead any way. The two squeezed past a few waiters and customers and avoided being smacked in the face by the door before exiting the establishment.

"Follow me quickly." Vali stalked off down an alleyway and crouched behind some crates. Confusing Gray.

"What are you doing Vali?" His tone suggested that he was confused. But Vali only motioned for him to get down too. "Tell me first then I will." _'I can't believe I am doing this.'_

Sighing with annoyance, the brunette boy turned around to face Gray. "I just saw some guy dragging a girl somewhere. Now get down."

"Wh-" He didn't get to respond as a dark green door opened suddenly and the forms of one man and a little girl came into view.

The man was clearly manhandling the poor girl. Shoving her into a wall and insulting her countless times before ordering her to take a stack of bottles somewhere before noon. Gray noted with surprise that Vali seemed to go extremely tense when the entire scenario played out, clenching his fists rapidly and breathing more heavily. Gray decided to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn't lash out or do anything stupid.

Then again, he wouldn't blame him…

In fact, he would've encouraged it if they knew how they could help the girl. The man surely deserved a pounding for treating a minor like trash on the side of the road.

"I swear..." Vali's voice ricocheted through Gray's ears, the furious undertone laced with venom hit him like a ton of bricks Yet it was obvious he was trying to keep his voice down. "If he doesn't leave right this instant I'll-"

"Vali, trust me I want to ring his neck just as much as you do, but when he leaves then we can help her." Gray interrupted, his voice leaving no room for argument.

The earth mage growled, but conceded to reason. "Very well."

It took one more minute before the guy left the girl to her impossible job. Vali turned and nodded his his head before moving out of his place behind the crate.

"Hey, you need help?" He called out, almost startling the girl. But Gray came out just in time to watch the show.

"I can lend a hand if I need to." He offered.

"Th-Thanks..." The girl nodded her head, accepting any help she could get. Running a hand through her light brown hair.

Vali, hoisted five of the heavy crates into his arms and asked the girl to lead the way. Gray on the other hand took the remaining eight.

The girl took one…

:::-((x))-:::

"Thanks for helping me with those." The girl happily thanked the two boys.

Vali placed down the crates and let out a sigh, wiping his forehead and nodding. "Happy to help." He replied, taking in deep breathes.

"Sure, couldn't let you do these on your own." Gray gently put his crates down and stood straight back up completely unfazed by the heavy load. Vali looked on in disbelief but didn't bother commenting, it wasn't worth risking his pride.

"I'm Mary!" The girl 'Mary' Chimed.

"Vali." Vali, greeted, giving Mary his twits salute.

"Gray."

"Oh, by the way." Vali stood up straight, looking at Mary inquisitively. "What were those words you were mumbling back there?" He asked.

"Uh, those are my magic words, they give me good fortune if chant them a lot." She then giggled. "I mean, it must work. I got to meet you guys after all."

Gray didn't have an answer for that. Magic existed sure, but he didn't think that what she was told was strictly true. You couldn't forge good luck out of magic, if you could he would have been living the high life with his parents in Brago. But here he was, with a life full of pain, a body with hidden scars and a mind full of regret.

He didn't know how it worked, but it always seemed to be the ones close to him that ended up dying. He couldn't let anyone know, nor could he allow anyone in. For their good more than his own. In a way, he sort of resented meeting Nano, Grog, Endebar, Gildarts and Vali. He resented Nano, for being so kind and sweet. He resented Grog and Endebar for needing his help. He resented Gildarts for being kind enough to help him on his way to Magnolia and he resented Vali for joining him for the rest of the journey.

If he could have stayed cold to people then he would have been fine. But these people reminded him about what he would lose if he went down that root.

Of course, he remembered Jade kicking him off a cliff for not helping her father and Ur's abandonment. But Jade was emotionally unstable and he was in a way to blame for being stronger, further correlating to Vali's comments about his lack of training. Ur on the other hand pissed him off, but on further thought he could see the sense in her judgement.

He was a menace, plain and simple…

 _'God…'_ The young boy shook his head, cupping his face in his hands. _'How did all that come from someone talking about a lucky charm?'_

However, he wasn't able to continue on this trail of thought he felt a rough hand land on his shoulder cautiously. Startled, he jumped back, yelping as he looked up only finding the confused frown marring Vali's expression. The feeling of his chest rising and falling brought his attention to his heavy breathing.

"What's up with you all of a sudden?" The earth mage shook Gray gently, trying to bring his attention back into reality. "Why are you stuck in la la land?" He continued to bring Gray out of his stupor few a few more seconds before giving up.

However, the twinge of defeat he felt was quickly replaced with elation as Gray shook his head and his un-patched eye focused…

"W-What?" Gray looked around, trying to hide his emotions behind the stone face he'd practised. "W-"

"Welcome back buddy..." Came the sarcastic reply from Vali, Mary looking at him with worry from behind him. "How was your intergalactic adventure?"

Gray chose to ignore him…

"You okay?" Mary's voice lilted into his ears and her concern was made evident.

"It's nothing, I just space out sometimes. It's rare for it to happen anyway." Gray explained it as simply as he could, trying not to give them away. "Funny though, Vali is the first person to call me out on it." Gray chuckled suddenly. "I have been snapped out of it but by coincidence. I think the girls who first did it was named…. Lucy?"

He paused… That night in the town had almost slipped by in his memory. Then it all came back, grumbling all the way into the store, buying the usual goods, sitting by the fountain, ENDING UP IN THE FOUNTAIN and making a shoddy replica of the constellations, somehow pleasing the blonde.

He grinned, that night was memorable, he should try to keep it in mind more.

"Lucy? Hmm, not the worst name I have ever heard." Vali, smirked smugly, a teasing edge in his tone. Gray dead-panned.

"Really, earthworm? That's the thing you try to use against me?" He shook his head and turned around. "For the record I don't even know her, even so, I don't have time for things like that."

"Sure, sure…..." Vali followed behind, taking over dramatic strides to draw Grays attention from walking away to his stupid motions.

"Wait up!" Mary almost tripped over herself when she tried to catch up with the two boys. They both caught her before she could actually trip luckily. She asked if she could keep around them for some time, to which the two complied.

"Hey Mary." Gray looked over to the little girl. "You couldn't possibly be on your own here right?"

Mary shook her head, smiling. "No, my big sis also works in the same bar as me. She's great!" She sounded so happy and carefree. From what he had seen of her boss it flummoxed Gray, how was she so happy? It didn't make much sense.

Before he or Vali could respond to her statement though, the doors to the restaurant blew off there hinges with suddenly loud crash. But it didn't stop there. Not only did the doors blast off but so did most of the wall surrounding it.

The destruction was so sudden and loud, it caused Mary to squeal in shock. Vali's eyes shot up, jumping back to a safe distance and shielding Mary, Gray and himself with a thick earth barrier.

Gray however, just sighed, only one person he knew of could do this… "Gildarts! I thought we agreed on not destroying anything!"

Vali, hearing Gildarts name, forced the earth back into his pouches and forced the leftover earth back into the cracks in the marble ground. "You mean to tell me that Gildarts did this!?"

Gray gave him an incredulous look. "What? Who do you think punched the hole into the mountain back there!?"

"I don't know! It took me a minute to get to where you both were!"

"That's no excuse!"

The continued to bicker back and forth, arguing over Vali's knowledge (or lack thereof) before Gray caught a glimpse of Gildarts. He ignored the babbling from Vali and looked over the taller boys shoulder… Just about.

From what little Gray could see, Gildarts was standing in the middle of the building, with an arm draped over some women who looked flummoxed and uncomfortable. He wasn't surprised at this as Gildarts was a huge pervert. He wasn't shameless about it, yet if you asked him about it he would deny it. Yet, seeing as he had just broke down part of the buildings wall he obviously wasn't chasing tail and the rules being the rules meant there was only one thing.

They needed to run… now…

"Old man!?" Gray sweat-dropped at the lazy grin plastered on the over-powered man's face. "What did you do!?"

He did didn't get an answer… He was simply ignored as Gildarts looked over his shoulder towards the short, fat man with black sideburns.

"This woman's coming with me." He stated. Causing the angry looking fat guy to grow tick marks all over his face. But before he sputter out anything he was engulfed in a cloud of dust that Gildarts had kicked up as he launched the girl and himself at the hole, picking up the three kids as soon as he turned the corner.

Vali would have yelped if he didn't have his arms around Mary, keeping her from falling out of the older man's grasp. He settled for a loud grunt and focused on holding Mary, who had let out a yelp for him. "Hey! Careful you old git!" His warning fell on deaf ears however. He grunted as a dull pain began to set into his left arm. His grip on the girl was awkward and painful, he was fighting to keep his right arm from bending too far back as his left was getting the stretch of it's life as it was flung across the front of his body to keep it's grip on Mary's smaller shoulder.

It was very hard to keep the position...

Gray had managed to free himself from the strong grip Gildarts had on him, choosing to use his new-found freedom to hold on to his shoulders and keep a look out behind them. Obviously, he couldn't hear anything as the girl in Gildarts left arm was shouting frantically at the girl in Vali's grip, who seemed to be having trouble holding on at the awkward angle.

"What the hell is that!?" His blind eye was facing the huge figure of something and Gray couldn't make out any details, not until he could get a better view. With that in mind, The Devil Slayer twisted his body around so it was back to back with Gildarts, still holding onto his shoulders.

"GET BACK HERE YOU RODENTS!" Screamed the rounded figure on top of the…. The….

Huge version of himself?….

What he saw was the bald fat bloke from the restaurant riding on top of a huge over-sized being that looked like an over-sized baby.

And it was running towards them….

"Oi! Gildarts, keep on running to the boat!" Gray commanded, Gildarts looked at him for a second like he had grown a second head, but after a few seconds, conceded. "I'm going to keep him busy for a while and I'll need both hands to do that!"

"I trust you kid, just don't get to carried away." The older man flashed him a grin before turning away. Then he felt the pressure on his back lift and he continued to the docks.

:::-((x))-:::

"Okay big, bald and ugly." Gray watched as the raging man commanded his bigger thrall to run him down, he found it quite pathetic. He balled up his right hand into a fist a slammed it into his open palm. He had to be careful with what he used though, he couldn't destroy anything in the town or he may end up with a jail sentence for the time being. But an idea came to his head just as the huge opponent got within range.

"Hopefully this pays off." Closing his eye, he began to picture what he had in mind. It was intricate and hard to get right, but he had spent some time getting it down to make sure he could do it…

It didn't look to bad either…

"Ice-Make: Maneuver gear!"

No sooner had he flung his arms to there respective side had a strong layer of ice begun to form and shift around Gray's upper body, the cool material giving him a comfortable temperature. The ice covered his chest and also formed a belt like vice around his waist, protecting him slightly also. But the ice didn't stop forming there, it also formed two big, long cylinders on the vice, a small condensed hole could be visibly seen on the bottom and they opened and closed quickly like they were gasping for air. Finally, the ice formed some armour around the arm and away from the joints before forming two big square's on the boy's wrists, both came with an icy grappling hook each with sharp edges.

Again, the 'maneuver gear' was complicated…

Gray quickly inspected the icy formations and smirked smugly, it had worked, hopefully he could swing around and propel himself from place to place if he needed. The sharp hooks could also come in handy to attack his enemies…

But he's settle for his devil ice for his offence any day of the week..

"Let's go, bastard." Gray waited for the right moment before taking a huge leap and firing his left hook at the big guy's shoulder. His target gave a loud grunt as the hook sunk into his flesh and Gray quickly used the icy chain attached to the hook to hoist himself up.

He saw a huge hand come for him during mid-air, trying to knock him out of the sky. Anticipating such an attack, Gray dispelled his hook and chain (it appeared right back into it's original spot above his wrist) and twisted his body, nimbly dodging the hand as he flew in-between the fingers before firing his right hook at said appendage, grappling onto it quickly and riding it up to towards the top of the huge man-child thing.

He could just see the smaller bald man's shocked expression as he used the cylinders to thrust his body forward, landing on top of the giant and in front of the bald man controlling it.

"Try this on for size!" Gray yelled as he punched the man right in the gut before he could even move, rendering him unconscious with a wheezing breath. "Now to take care of this guy." He said to himself, but as he was about to move, the giant's he turned to face him and it let out an angry roar, forcing Gray to cover his ears.

He didn't get to react as the hand from earlier came back with a vengeance, slamming down on the giants shoulder hard and on top of the startled boy.

But what the giant didn't expect was the sudden wave of strength to fight back, the giant looked at it's shoulder, it's eyes widening in confusion when Gray suddenly emerged from under it, not even braking a sweat in holding the giants hand up, despite the powerful strength the giant had.

 _'If I can fight Deliora and not die then a mere giant is a piece of fucking cake!'_ Gray's mind casted itself back to his fight with the demon, it's flames felt just as scorching and cruel as they did back then and even further back when he received his scars.

Luckily, the ring had held up, as long as he kept the ring on he would be fine…

He shook his head and stared at the giant for a moment with a bored look, angering the creature before throwing the hand off of it's shoulder and rushing towards the back of it's neck. He took a great leap off of it and quickly turned to face the nape of the giants neck.

"Say goodnight big guy!" He yelled at the giant before firing both hooks into the giants nape and retracting the chains quickly (not dispersing them) and slamming both of his feet into the back of it's neck, sending the giant toppling down and into the shallow part of the lake nearby with a huge splash.

The resulting mix of dust and water took a moment to calm down but once it did Gray hopped off of the giants neck and dragged the bald man out of the water. He sighed in annoyance.

"I guess something was going to brake." He grumbled, looking at the boathouse, or what remained of it. But he didn't have time to even do anything else as the resounding roar of a huge creature pierced through the entirety of Mone, causing several citizens to scream in terror.

"Run for you life!" Shouted one of men.

"It's Unicol!" Shouted another.

"Get the children inside!" A women's voice protruded through the crowd., making most of the men filter the young kids indoors.

The Devil Slayer looked behind him quickly and his one eye shot open…

There it was, Unicol as the people were calling it. In it's huge and slimy glory.

Attacking the ship he was meant to board…

"Shit" Gray gulped and began sprinting to the docks…

:::-((x))-:::

Before I delve into the cringe A/N I guess you can notice the first new things in this chapter… So I will address the elephant in the room.

Vali… Yes, he has a sir-name and you will find out soon enough. He is an Earth Mage and seems rather… Unique, for a kid a year or so older than Gray. His unmotivated approach to his magic, his back story (again, more to come) and his slightly odd reactions to events.

He will be a remaining feature in this story and will have his own arc to explain his story and such like the others will. Tell me what you think of him and how you think I can improve him. Sorry if my description seems crap, again, I have trouble with that sort of thing.

Okay, I know this chapter hasn't really moved that far, in fact I don't think I even got halfway through the fifth chapter from the manga. I am sorry for that but you have probably noticed that this chapter took longer to post than the last. And THAT one took me almost a full month…

Well… Blame my weird ass sleeping habit. I have taken to staying up for two days straight and getting a low amount of sleep, maybe 4 hours or more… I won't say it has effected me badly, but I am constantly adjusting.

I'll leave that there…

And yes, I made Gray create 3DManeuver gear to fight the giant or milk boy (I got confused with the bald man and his giant, which one is milk boy?). Let's just say I finally got around to watching the rest of Attack on Titan and I am officially a mini fanboy… I just had to include a reference.

I mean, I did a One piece reference… and I hate that anime…

But enough with that, I am sorry about the slow as fuck chapter and the next chapter I will make it up to you, but personal things as well as a lack of motivation has struck me hard. But again, I cannot stress this enough I will finish this story.

PHRASES OF AWESOME!

(Special episode about the EU Brexit thing because controversy and all XD)

1: 'The animaniacs? More like aniremainiacs…'

2: 'VoteLeavethebaryouarecausingaruckasinmybar'

3: 'Brexit? Sounds like a bloody chocolate bar.'

Just in case you are wondering, I don't care about all this shite. It was funny the first few days then it got boring, pls save me…

Anyway, controversial topics to start arguments in the review section aside, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, reviews are appreciated and criticism is even more so. :)

Stay cool,

-viperhat


	18. Ice Trials: Five

Okay, I really hope that this all saves and doesn't fuck up on me… -_-

So I have begun to binge write this entire arc out since this year has been slow and I would like to consider this act of self-buggering an apology to you all for being slow and inconsistent. And since my computer started to act up it has given me some perspective on how poorly I have been treating my work ethic…

Also, before we get started, I made a slight mistake in the height for both Vali and Gray. So I will correct that… 

Gray: 4ft 8inches (age at this point: 9)

Vali: 5ft 4inches (age at this point: 11)

Sorry if I had confused you last chapter.

So prepare to gaze upon the shit that is my newest and shittiest chapter yet! I am deeply sorry for the wait.

LET'S READ!

:::-((x))-:::

(Three minutes earlier)

"Hang on!" Gildarts warned his passengers before taking a giant leap off of the docks and onto the boat, causing the girls to scream as he took into the air for a few seconds. Vali just held onto Mary, trying not to groan in pain from the awkward way he was holding her.

He looked at the Crash mage and raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that all we can do?!" He grunted out. "It's not like they can throw their shoes at the guy if he shows up again..."

"Fair enough!"

With that being said, Gildarts landed on the boat loudly and with all the grace of a drunk troll. He could swear that the wood splintered underneath his feet as he steadied himself. He let go of Amelia who instantly rushed to Mary, who Vali had let go of.

Said Earth mage was busy tending to his aching arm. Muttering about gravity being a bitch and how his arm felt like a lead weight. "Can we get this thing going? The sooner we leave the better." He looked over towards Gildarts, rubbing his sore shoulder as he continued to speak. "Didn't sir smiley say he was an ice mage? Surely he can just freeze over a path… I think."

Gildarts shook his head. "I don't want to leave the kid behind, no matter how capable he is." He looked over to Vali, tearing his gaze away from the sisters. "Why do you ask?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "That had some influence in my decision..." He pointed behind him and into the expanse of the river. Where the huge form of a marine creature began to rise out from the depths. "He seems to have a way with words doesn't he?" He sarcastically remarked before he lightly jogged over to the sails. "Come on Ginger beard! Grumpster will be fine… Hopefully..."

"That doesn't fill me with confidence you know!" Gildarts retorted, but seeing the creature slowly rising he could easily see the truth in Vali's stupid remark. But still, he didn't have to be so sarcastic about it. His yawn of boredom only added to the kid's weird behaviour…

"Okay, i'll make a deal with you." The Earth mage sighed, looking at the older man with an exasperated expression plastered on his face, completely ignoring the two sisters looking at him weirdly. "If the big bad fishy tries to eat us for lunch then I will apologise and promptly smash it's face in." He held his hand out, smirking. "Deal?"

Gildarts resisted the urge to facepalm. _'That doesn't help Gray in any way…'_

But before he could reject the kids dumb deal the resounding thud of a huge object colliding with stone filled the air. Causing the occupants of the boat to look over to the source. Then they saw the huge giant that had chased had been knocked down, causing a huge cloud of dust to erupt from the ground and into the clear sky above.

 _'Then again, he seems to be doing fine…'_ With that thought Gildarts smirked, impressed at the kid's achievement. Sure the kid managed to overpower Drum Bee but the giant was clearly stronger physically…

The kid would definitely become a great mage in the future…

"Huh, nice one..." Vali whistled before looking back over to the left. "But we can gush later, it seems I have to follow through with the deal."

"We didn't even shake on it." Gildarts muttered but quickly letting the sails loose, knowing that sitting in the docks was a bad idea for everyone involved. He motioned for Amelia to take the helm and despite her protests she ended up taking control in the end as Gildarts ran up to the deck where Vali was leaning over the side, bored out of his damn mind…

"Hmm… it is a lot bigger than I first thought." He flipped his hair, trying to move it out of his view but only succeeded in moving it further in the way. "Unfortunately though it hasn't gotten close enough for me to do anything about it."

He wasn't lying about it being bigger. The hulking figure rose out of the water menacingly, quickly enveloping a good portion of the big town in a big black shadow. It's grey-ish scales gleamed in the sunlight as it's eyes set there gaze on the boat they were on.

It was heading straight for them…

"Just a little closer now."

Gildarts looked at Vali with curiosity. "What are you planning to do, suspend it in the ai-"

"Clamp!"

Before he could finish he was suddenly interrupted when Vali spread his arms out to his sides before bringing them together just above his head. But the thing that stumped Gildarts into silence was that movements were mimicked by two gigantic twin towers of Earth from both sides of the lake. The end of both towers separated into two giant pincer-like claws which quickly intercepted Unicol's sudden jump from the water, easily reaching around it's sides and clasping the creature in place. Holding it in suspension above the water where it thrived.

Noticing the Crash was satisfyingly flummoxed, Vali sent him a lazy grin…

"Does that answer your question?" _'Bitch?'_

He waited a few seconds to get a response before Gildarts sent him a grin.

"I'll admit worms." Vali merely rose an eyebrow at the nickname. "You had me going there for a second."

"No kidding!" The two were interrupted by Mary's amazed lilt. "I thought that you wouldn't ever stop that fish but then you bravely force the earth to stop it from hurting us!" The two could swear that the girl had stars in her eyes. "You were so amazing!"

 _'Praise?'_ Vali almost physically reeled back when Mary gushed towards him. _'This is rather new… But it isn't bad that's for sure.'_ "Uh, cheers?" He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. A small blush adorned his cheeks.

Luckily no one saw, his pride would be dealt a massive blow if it were not the case…

Amelia then pointed behind them towards Unicol again. "Well, impressive as it may be it doesn't seem to be holding to well." Her words caused Vali's eyes to widen behind his hair, turning around he saw that the earthen clamps were beginning to crumble under the immense weight of the marine animal.

"Shit, we are halfway too." He muttered, he forgot about maintaining the magic within the earth. Well, he can't revert any magic back into the arms now.

Of course, Amelia glared and covered Mary's ears at his use of language, to which he tutted and looked over to the other side of the lake. Then back to the monster.

It was too close. If the clamps were to break now the boat would be submerged in water and the crew (I,E himself and three others) would be vulnerable to Mr. big bad fishy.

Then the first clamp crumbled away…

"Oh, bollocks..."

Then the second one…

And as the creature slammed into the body of water it created a huge wave to form, easily towering over the boat and speeding in quickly.

"Vali! I am blaming you for this!" Gildarts yelled, he wouldn't be able to hit Unicol when it was shielded from his attacks. But he wouldn't be able to dodge this, not that it would do anything to him, but the girls were not mages. Their screams only made their vulnerability even more obvious.

Vali didn't seem to see the problem. "Don't worry your pretty little heads off." He reassured the group before throwing his arm up and over his head, which was followed by a wide wall which spanned the length of the ship and saved it from the tidal wave threatening the ship.

But that didn't stop Unicol from tearing the ship into bitesize pieces. Literally bursting from the underbelly of the ship and snapping the wood and causing the ship to become useless. The force sent all four of the occupants up into the air.

Gildarts luckily managed to catch Mary but still had to deal with the water, but Amelia had been flung away from the group, sending her into the water before anyone else.

"Hang on guys!" Gildart's heard Vali yell, looking up he saw the earth mage swing his arms around tightly and before his very eyes a platform of earth appeared out of nowhere right under the three. Thanks to Vali's contribution Gildarts managed to land on the hardened surface anf quickly put the yelling Mary down.

"Sis! Sis where are you!?" She looked over the sides only to see the disturbed water 7 feet below the platform Vali made.

"Good job Vali! But please focus on the platform now!" Gildarts took off toward Unicol. But the creature refused to go within 10 feet of the platform, it understood it's strengths and weaknesses. "Damn it!"

Suddenly the fish took a daring leap at the platform, smirking Gildarts clenched his fist and got ready to strike. But before he could another wall of earth formed and caused Unicol to face-plant it before another huge chunk of hardened earth slammed into the wall, breaking it and knocking the giant creature away.

Gildarts looked back at Vali who had his arm raised in front of him, irritated. "Why did you do that!? I could have beat him!"

"I know who you are Ginger beard." The mage in question rolled his eyes at Gildarts. "If you hit the beastie you would have taken this platform apart. Crash magic is rather dangerous to other forms of magic wouldn't you agree?"

The Crash mage had no response for that, he was fairly accurate…

Unicol then erupted from the water once again, it's deadly roar heard throughout the entire town. But Vali threw his right arm down harshly, which caused a big rod of Earth to come crashing from the sky and connect with the huge fish's head, slamming it back into the ocean.

Which turned out to be a bad idea…

After a few seconds, the platform below the group violently exploded up and outward, sending them into the air with Mary letting out a scream as she began to arc in the air and fall.

"Oh for fuck's sake!" Vali threw out both of his arms quickly, trying to form a platform underneath them all. But the sheer distance between them made it impossible. His eye's bulged, realising this fight was going to get a tad more desperate. He quickly formed a stratagem in his head, before grinning lazily, his half liddled eyes covering up any small frustration he had previously.

 _'Come on… Come on you little prick.'_ He focussed intently, looking over to the other two. Gildarts trying to both reach Mary and call out to him to do something. He knew what he needed to do next…

"Platform..." He muttered under his breath, before flinging both of his arms out again, but this time, he flung one out in front of him thus forming a small platform to develop under Gildarts and Mary, his other arm under himself, repeating the process below him. "Hey Oldie-locks!" He yelled over casually to Gildarts, who was starting to get a tick mark from the nicknames. "You know I can't keep these things in the air for too long, that fish has too much weight and force behind it. It has left me almost empty!"

"Why are you telling me this!?" He got in response. He only shrugged…

"Don't know, maybe you can do you're One Punch attack on this beastie! We are above it now and it is waiting for us to land in it's gob. Look!" He flopped his hand downward and extended his finger, to show the two on the other side Unicol's huge mouth opened wide and ready for their doom and destruction. The water around it now highly disturbed and thrown about the place as it roared out once again. The maw was so wide and vast it pretty much covered and shielded all of the fish's body. Except for the slight trace of visible forehead.

Or in Vali's mind: 'The _one_ specific thing I am trying to fucking point out...'

Luckily for the three, Gildarts managed to spot it too and sent a confident smirk over to the young boy turning to face the even younger girl. "Stay here alight?" Mary nodded.

"Hang on you two, this may get messy!" He shouted before diving off of the platform. Vali sending him a mock wave as he plummeted down towards Unicol. After a while of streamlining himself he was reaching terminal velocity, a small cone developing around him as he rocketed towards the marine creatures gaping maw.

"Here we go you big bastard." He grinned wider, raising his fist as he got closer. "Crushing evil," He whispered, or maybe he couldn't hear it, but he was aware of Unicol jumping out of the sea once again. "Spreading the truth," He raised his voice, but he still couldn't tell the difference as he was now scraping past Unicol's mouth and heading straight for the exposed forehead. "EMPYREAN!"

He bellowed out, before slamming his metal fist straight into the centre of Unicol's forehead. He booming thud was heard, along with a magical shock-wave which knocked down half of the town's fishing industry and damaged some of the residential housing as the attack from Gildarts sent the poor beast barrelling back into the sea, creating a big tidal wave around it as it continued to plummet to the bottom of the lake and even then it didn't stop as it began to form a Unicol shaped hole in the earth below as it proceeded to blast further into the earth before disappearing from Gildarts' sight.

Then the water covered over the sight and began to calm down…

"There we go guys, all done! Let's-" It was at this point in time Gildarts realised one majorly important detail.

There was no ground beneath him…

"H-Hey, Vali! Make some ground, I could really use it!" But Vali and Mary were still too high up to hear him and he knew it. Oh well, maybe he could find A- "OOOF!" He was cut off by slamming into something hard, smooth and very, very cold. So cold in fact he could feel his fingertips beginning to go numb. Looking underneath himself, he saw a huge smooth sheet of… light-ish purple?

"Ice…?" He muttered, eye's widening when he realised what this meant.

"Be more careful next time Old man..." Gray's young yet masculine voice rung out and reached his ears. He looked over to see the boy (missing both his shirt and trousers now) walking towards him. His expression still as grumpy and hardened as ever. "I don't need to waste anymore time fishing you out of the lake with those metal limbs of yours."

Before Gildarts could retort, he saw the figure of the missing Amelia right behind him (holding both Grays shirt and Trousers). She looked to be fine, if not wet and somewhat tired, but overall perfectly healthy. He looked to Gray for a response and all he got was an eye roll (like he could roll his removed left eye anyhow), but Amelia answered for him.

"He pulled me out of the lake and we began to make our way here." Gray butted in and continued on, making Amelia glared softly.

"But my magic is used to fight, not create, and my Ice-Make Doesn't reach over 100 feet yet. Soon maybe but not in the near future." He looked behind the kneeling Crash mage. "Hey, where are t-"

He was then interrupted by a huge crash and a large dual-tone scream, that just so happened to be from right behind Gildarts. After said mage stood up and stood aside he was given sight to the best thing he'd seen all week.

Vali and Mary were both safe and sound… However, the earth mage seemed to have run out of magic and consequentially, ended up falling along with Mary. Unfortunately for Vali though was that he was the one who ended up on the bottom and his face kissed the icy surface roughly as Mary landed safely on top of him, only adding to the weight he had to deal with.

It was so good in fact that Gildarts started guffawing loudly, Amelia began to giggle at Vali's expense and even he himself cracked a small smirk at the sight.

Vali on the other hand, didn't share the same mirth…

He demonstrated this vocally for the next five minutes before Gildarts whacked him around the head. But the Crash mage hadn't meant to send the poor boy/teen through the ice and into the water…

It thanks to this that two more people got soaked that day, and Gray was going to make Gildarts pay... No one made him fetch for them, especially if they lost it or in Gildarts cased smashed it away.

:::-((x))-:::

(30 minutes later)

"I am telling you Sir. Ginger..." Vali, awake from the older man's earlier assault had managed to get the group from almost silent to mostly vocal. Except for Gray of course, who had taken the lead in forming the pathway to the other side of the lake, it was larger than they all expected. "Crash magic is bloody dangerous." Another glare from Amelia. "The magic itself is revolved around _breaking_ other types of magic based elements. Hell just standing there you are playing with fire."

"No, I'm no-"

"Prove it then..." Vali grinned, he'd fallen right into his trap. Gildarts started sweating slightly.

"Uuuh, no thanks kid, I would rather stay nice and dry." He chuckled nervously. Trying to hold back a shiver.

"Nope, either prove or I will start to get REALLY annoying."

"I thought you already were pip-squeak."

"Pip-squeak? I am two years older than happy Mc-Smiles over there. I am 11 years of age."

"Still young and tiny, little man."

"Ha, you called me man."

"I use the term very lightly."

"Whatever, I know you don't want me to get worse than I already am..."

"Well-"

"Nope..."

"But I-"

"Nope!"

"Will you j-"

"Nope!"

"Okay! Fine!" Gildarts finally relented, startling everyone in the group. "Here, watch me tear this ice a new one!"

"Don't you dare..." Gray growled out.

But it was already too late, Gildarts immediately amped up his magic and within a few seconds he was slamming down on the magical ice like there was no tomorrow.

"Ha, you see!" He yelled triumphantly. "My magic is easy to control! I can waaah!"

However, he quickly realised that he wasn't controlling it. He found himself falling through a circular hole he had made in Gray's ice before he fell straight into the water below, which was pretty cold due to the ice above it by mere inches. "God-dammit, help me!" He shouted as he flailed around in the water.

Gray sighed in defeat…

He was about to jump in but Vali held out his arm and shook his head at him, grinning with smugness that rivalled Lyon's in Gray's books. Only nicer and less murderous than the silver haired wanker.

"I'll get him." Vali walked towards the hole where Amelia and Mary were, watching the grown man shout and splash around like a complete kid. He sat down and formed a fishing rod, having gathered some of his magic back before plunging the hook into the water.

He heard a loud yelp emanate from the man's throat before violently wrenching him from the water below, hoisting him through the circular hole he made and into view of everyone where they could see why he yelped as loud as he did. Vali, being the mean son of a bitch he was, hooked the earthy line near Gildarts ass. The hook poking painfully against his cheek.

The sight made the group laugh for the second time that day. Even Gray once again shared a small smirk the man's predicament…

"I will take great pleasure in saying 'I told you so' Ginger beard." Laughed Vali, before moving him over and away from the hole where he proceeded to make the rod vanish without warning and let Gildarts land face first on the icy ground again.

The Crash mage glared at the Earth mage for the rest of the trip…

:::-((x))-:::

(10 minutes)

After what felt like forever (in Gildarts' case at least) the group managed to traverse to the other side of the lake. Vali looked around excitedly, finally being able to get out of Mone was a refreshing and amazing prospect to him that he had been starting to lose hope on experiencing. He really felt like he owed Gray and Gildarts for their service to him.

"I can't wait to see what I can fuck up on this side of the country!" He exclaimed suddenly, somehow managing to not scare the shit out of anyone. But Gildarts look at him, alarmed for a second… "Again, cheers you two, I really couldn't budge out from there. So thanks."

 _'That was sudden…'_ Gray simply ignored the moment of genuine thanks from the eccentric Earth mage. He just wanted to get to Fairy Tail and become as strong as he possibly could. He couldn't get there by being all smiley and happy… It was as simple as that.

"Whatever..." Was all he said, knowing that he needed to respond anyway, Gildarts would be annoyed if he didn't and being on the receiving end of a man like that when he is annoyed? Not something he wanted…

"I know you love me Sir. Sunshine." He teased…

"Again, I reiterate… Whatever." He growled, he couldn't stand listening to his voice grating on his nerves. Vali was really good at annoying people, something the guy took great pride in. "Now shut it so I can concentrate." He turned his head back to the end of the ice pathway.

Vali just snorted. "You know, I have seen angrier guys grumpster, I know how you all tick. All I have to do is push the right buttons at the right time!"

 _'You're doing a good job at making me tick, by that I mean you are ticking me off!'_

As if reading his mind Vali grinned and spoke again. "Oh soon enough you'll warm up to me. I had this kid in the academy who was always angry like you."

Mary looked over from her sisters side curiously. "You went to an academy?" She asked excitedly, seemingly jumping with joy.

Vali nodded with a smile. "Yeah, it was really good for learning spells. But I wouldn't recommend the teaching practice. Which is rare, usually it is the opposite way around." He flicked his hair the side again, but made sure to keep enough around his eyes to hide them from the others view.

"Is that where you learned to use Earth magic?" Amelia was the next to ask a question. Looking at him looking for an answer.

"Well, in a way yes." Vali inclined his head, squinting as if trying to formulate a coherent answer. "You see I was in the academy since I was very young, the deputy headmaster found outside on the streets one day and took me in, he never told me anymore than that, but I got the gist of it pretty much." He saw the expressions on the grown up's and sighed. "It isn't hard to find out that I was homeless, I must have hurt myself because I was wrapped in bandages but I didn't feel pain, or maybe I did? Ah fuck it, I don't remember." He laughed.

"But why did you leave then?" Gildarts looked confused. "After-all, you had everything from the sounds of it, a loving parental figure, good education and from what I see a happy life overall."

"Ah you see, I wasn't entirely happy, but maybe that's because of the bullies..." He pinched his chin in thought. "But then again, they feared me soon enough, as I said earlier I was a prodigy, they couldn't touch me!" He grinned at Gildarts. "All 10 of them, considered some of the best in the school and they had no chance! Brilliant right!?"

The mage in question nodded. "Is that why you take everything in stride?" Vali looked confused. "I mean, you haven't been offended by anything Gray has said, you were completely calm and bored looking when Unicol attacked and you are now giving us some rather private and somewhat dark information about you and you are more than chipper."

"Ahhh..." Vali understood what he was asking. "Admittedly, I have only been like this for a year or two. Before then I was somewhat of what I called a reactionary bully. Someone talks shit on me I beat them down, you know all that cancerous shit scum like that do." He looked away for a second to take a breath, he didn't like talking about his old self. "Then I had an incident and realised 'Hang on. I am being a dick to these people and they have done nothing wrong, if I want to be treated normally then I should stop being a twat, just because this happened to me doesn't mean I should dish it to others too.'."

He sighed. "After that, I stopped being a wanker and begun to utilise my skill and knowledge to become the best in my academy, not intentionally though, I just ended up being the best. Turns out being hard to offend makes it easier to ignore actual physical pain, or maybe there is something wrong with me."

That got a giggle out of Mary. "Are they still there? The bullies?"

"Nope, scared them out after the third fight, somewhat displeased they actually helped me kill time." He grinned at her. "Why?"

"I was thinking-"

"Mary no." Amelia instantly stopped her in her tracks. Mary looked at her with surprise and sadness.

"What? Why?"

"Because we don't have any kind of jewel to get you in, secondly It would be too far away from mother and fathers."

"Where do you live?" Vali asked. Amelia glared suddenly at him.

"That real rude to ask you know?"

He just rolled his eyes, ignoring Gray's groaning when he heard Gildarts tell a bad joke. In general, like what town? Not your actual home, I am not some creepy deluded stalker intent on making your life uncomfortable as all fuck." He teased, smirking as Amelia pouted lightly.

She 'hmph'd' at him before looking away for a second. But answered anyway. "Locktide..."

He paused to think for a second scrunching up his face in concentration before he relaxed and grinned. "Okay, it isn't too far from there actually. Maybe a mile away at the most."

Mary jumped for joy. "Yay! See Sis I can go!"

She still shook her head. "We don't have any jewel Mary. But if you want to so much then I can try once we get home."

Before Mary or Vali could reply Gildarts suddenly leapt into the air, shouting his goodbyes to them before disappearing beyond the horizon, leaving the three startled. "What just happened?" Vali shook himself out of his stupor, realising that Gray hadn't stopped or slowed down. Quickly coursing the girls to keep up he swiftly had them near enough to the Broody devil Slayer. But he has questions like why did Gildarts suddenly just bugger off? What made him bugger off? And finally, how did he bugger off to the other side of the lake when they were still a minute away from reaching the land on the far side?!

Utterly confused, he looked over to Gray, who was still mechanically forming an icy platform without any strain. He opened his mouth to ask what had gotten into the Crash Mage but Gray seemed to see his expression as he replied to the lingering question.

"It seems the old man has some trouble with the rune knights around here." His voice was it's usual grumpy sounding yet clear mumble as he focussed on the pathway. "Of course he would have pissed someone off somewhere else..." He sighed irritably, he did a good job with doing that to him.

Or maybe he was easy to piss off…

After-all, he had found Vali's cynical, snarky and sarcastic, long winded remarks to be particularly nerve grating. But he knew from the moment he heard his slightly deeper voice that he was going to be a pain in his ass.

He found that dealing with most people ended up with him gritting his teeth in one way or another. Hell, even Nano had annoyed him at first! Mary's high pitch voice grounded against his ears like metal scraping against metal, Amelia's constant reprimanding of Vali was starting to really rub him the wrong way and the constant annoying chit chat emanating from the people around him made him wish for a deafening silence.

 _'I really wish people wouldn't be annoying…'_ Gray shook his head, casting his disturbed thoughts into the abyss of his mind as he casted his eye slightly up from the formation of the pathway to see the land on the other side incoming. He sighed, relief flowing through his veins at the thought of not casting a constant stream of magic. A nice rest sounded good, and who knows? Vali may even be tolerable as he takes a break. One could hope right!?

Those thoughts were enforced by the older boys yawn, fatigue filling him to the brim as it did with everyone else… The sky was slowly beginning to set as a peachy red hue filtered through the clear sky, signalling the world that twilight had come.

"Well..." Gray mumbled quietly. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to rest for a while." He slumped against a big, smooth rock and brought his knees up to his chest before he started to drift off. But not before Mary used his side as a pillow…

He sighed silently at the knew pressure on his right arm. _'I better not get any pins and needles tomorrow.'_

 _:::-((x))-:::_

So this wasn't a chapter over 6 to 7 thousand words. But to be honest the chapter in Ice trials called 'River' is pretty much just one big fight scene… But you have probably noticed the...'slight'… differences to the fight. First off the lack of Gray and secondly the amount of Earthy awesome possessed by Vali.

Don't worry, Vali won't be an unbeatable mage, he will grow and become strong and powerful yes, but at the moment his body and mind are still developing and I have yet to implement certain qualities into him yet. His character isn't nearly done yet, like sonic06 but not utter shite. I think.

But now…

Rant time:

I have seen the current chapter and I am slightly disturbed...(498 since this will go up in October or maybe when I finish it if my computer doesn't fuck me over again.)

It isn't about Grays Devil Slaying Magic and how Invel seems to know a fair bit about it. (which was actually rather fascinating yet foreboding… he Is rather scary just by being calm… damn XD)

It isn't about how Mashima blatantly disregarded Gray's now innate ability to eat Ice and enemies ice attacks. (Which annoyed me somewhat but overall I let it pass over)

But I get the feeling Mashima is about to do one of two things.

1: Gray and Juvia will somehow bullshit their way out of this conundrum due to the power of friendship or love (which will kill me inside… poor Gray) and annihilate Invel. Confessing their love to eachother since you know, forcing characters together ALWAYS works flawlessly…

or...

2: One of them die (if so then hopefully it is Juvia) and the other will defeat Invel but confess their love for the other before their death. (Hopefully this happens since then at least there is a chance that Gruvia won't happen)

Now we all know that Mashima has once again forced Gray to be lumped with Juvia. We all know what he is going to do. I am not even going to try and speak out against it though because the shit will still be put on a pedestal and made canon. Gruvia will happen and it truly pains me to say this, Mashima will ruin a portion of Gray, he will cater to the Gruvia fans desires on this and he doesn't care how forced it is he will do it.

I mean come on, It seems stupid that Brandsh would only take Natsu and Lucy and leave Juvia behind (I won't lie, i'd leave her behind too but still think of poor Gray) If she is good and needs help, she would have taken all three since you know, strength in numbers.

But if she is evil then she would still take Juvia so she could finish her useless ass off… It makes literally no sense, Gray is more than capable of beating Invel, in fact if it wasn't for Juvia not getting the fuck away from him they wouldn't be in the situation he is in now. Yet another problem she is causing for Gray.

Remember… People ship this… Actual, physical human beings on the same planet as us, actually pair these to together for some unknown reason…

Damn, I should make a rant dump! XD Like Viper's venom laced Rants! Nah… I will stick to being a cunt over the chapters of these stories. Much more dumb for me. XD

So if you see this and it isn't October then It has probably been uploaded on another computer. But know that I will either A: have this arc finish by then or B: I will have a better computer by then to actually start writing again. :)

so see you next chapter…

-Viperhat


	19. Ice Trials: Six

I am just going to get into the story today. I have nothing to talk about other than college is starting soon so updates could become even slower (if that is even possible.) So yay?

Oh! And go and read LittleBookWrighter's 'Between the books' if you like AOT and Erwin Smith, her writing is super amazing and she takes much more time than myself to think about her stories and characterization of her OC's.

Literally one of the only OC's I like I should add. :)

:::-((x))-:::

Gray didn't know long it had been since he and the group had took some time to rest, but when he looked up into the sky he quickly realised how late it actually was. Looking up, he saw the beautiful dark and cloudless night sky, the sparkling white orbs in the sky shone so brightly as if they were trying to take the centre stage.

He couldn't deny how stunning the sight was, in fact he found himself staring up into the black void until he realised what he was doing. Shaking his head with a grunt he attempted to stand up.

Only to tumble back down…

Of course he would get pins and needles… It was him for god's sake!

Grumbling to himself at the sudden weird sensation running through his legs, Gray looked around to view his surroundings in an attempt to kill time as his legs stopped numbing themselves and almost instantly, his gaze flicked across to the bright area a few feet away from the group.

That was when he realised that Vali was not where he had been resting…

Confused, he checked around him to see if he could find the 11 year old, unfortunately he only saw Amelia and Mary who had not moved from their original spots by the rock.

' _Where the fu- oh, there you are...'_

His eye scanned the surrounding area once again when he finally realised the slightly larger form a few feet away from him and the girls, the familiar dark brown mop of hair swaying slightly in the gentle wind, sitting right next to the source of the bright yellow glow from earlier.

"How did I miss him from here?" After a while he felt the feeling return in his legs, the pins and needles finally beginning to recede and give him full control once again and with a deep, sleepy sigh he rose up from the ground and made his way over to Vali. His footsteps almost silent as his feet softly crunched against the ground, making his way to the Earth mage.

Vali must have heard him at some point because he shifted himself around to face him, his hair shadowing most of his face in the dark but a small grin was just about visible on his face. He tucked his knees into his chest and placed his arms on top before resting his head on his arms.

"Got your beauty sleep?" His voice was quiet and slightly breathy, signalling his tiredness for the outside world to acknowledge. His snort wasn't as subdued when Gray gave him a dirty look however. "Never mind, you're still ugly."

"Shut up, you grizzly looking earthworm." Gray bit out, already regretting his decision to come and sit over here. "Why the hell are you up anyway? It's late!"

Vali's response was to put a finger up to his lips and wiggle his finger as if he was scolding a child. "To answer your question I have some trouble sleeping."

"Insomnia?"

"Nope." Vali shook his head. "My sleeping pattern doesn't exist, so I end up staying awake throughout the night sometimes. But I should be sleeping during the days soon enough."

"You're weird." Gray replied in exasperation. "Well, you better not fall asleep whilst were travelling or I'll leave you behind."

He didn't know whether or not Vali had listened or not, all he had done was let out another amused snort. In a way Gray couldn't help but admire the attitude his new companion had for everything so far, never taking anything personal and always being realistic about things whether it be about himself or others or a situation- he always managed to just take on the chin before dealing with the dilemma at hand.

Hell, he had even kept his cool around Gildarts of all people- and that man was an absolute monster…

The remaining snickers from Vali began to soften and fade away soon enough, leaving the two in a comfortable silence that neither cared to break. After having a hectic day (or day's' in Gray's case) this was something both mages needed, just a few relaxing hours to themselves with no sort of external interruption as the two immersed themselves into a state of peaceful observation.

Vali had taken an interest in his surroundings, carefully studying the landscape with a critical eye which soaked in every little nook and cranny it could find. For once he was silent as the serene atmosphere calmed his body and mind down.

Gray had gone back to looking at the night sky, his eye raking gently across the enormity of the universe above and beyond. He remembered everything he had gone through so far and with sadness- how he could compare his old self to his current self. He was pleased to have a goal to achieve, to attain the most amount of power he possibly could. What he would do with it would come later.

As his mind drew back to previous events and formed the emotional connections he suddenly remembered his first ever friend. Before ever even knowing about Deliora, Jade had once told him about a belief she shared with her mother. At the time he called her silly for believing such nonsense, but now he could see the appeal, he could feel the want to believe in the concept.

It was a day he remembered clearly to, everything from the day to the weather- almost as if he had travelled through time and back to the day he was focusing on. He could still feel the cold chill bite into his skin comfortably and the sound of snow crunching under heavy boots as the wind blew harshly around him, surrounding him with a cold yet strangely warm embrace.

He remembered himself and his first and only friend plopping down next to him, more stiff and sombre than usual, even to the point where those who didn't even know her could see the distress on her face. Her black hair was slightly messy as it hung down to her chin whilst some of it stuck up in random places.

He remembered brushing her off when she asked him about the stars and if he believed that everyone they knew would watch over them when they passed on, but he told her that it was true. He went against his own beliefs just to give some semblance of comfort she clearly needed, something he would never do for anyone else, never. She had been his only friend, to him, Vali and the others he had met were acquaintance's, fairly close acquaintances mind you but acquaintances nevertheless.

' _She USED to be my friend...'_ He bitterly droned, his mind still unable to find a way to either explain or cope with her utmost betrayal… Calling him the one thing that truly hurt him probably struck him more than her kick that sent him tumbling down the cliff face. She had her reasons, she was in hysterics, she had lost her parents within a minute of each other and he dragged her and little Macbeth to the top of a freezing cold mountain…

But still…

"You okay there smiley?" Vali's voice rang out and through his ears, snapping him out of his angry thoughts. "You look even more pissed than usual, you've been like that for an hour now..."

That _really_ caught his attention…

He looked at Vali, confusion marring his face to show forth. "An hour?"

"Yes indeedy doo..." The ever so soft sing song tone in the Earth mages reply was almost lost on him, chalk another point up for Vali's mocking nature, but it was softer, more careful so he was showing SOME respectful restraint. "I can tell tell by the big ball of obnoxious heat leering it's ugly head behind you."

Despite a scornful retort trying to ebb it's way past his lips, Gray ignored him and his long winded remark again in favour of turning around to see the sight he so barely got to see back In Isvan…

The 'big ball of obnoxius heat' as Vali put it was not even close to being a quarter of the way up, simply showing the mere circumference of it's surface yet slowly rising to show off more. It's radiant light seemingly spilling out and over the ground itself as it rose higher and higher.

And it was just like that, that Gray's memories suddenly receded back into his mind once more, almost forgotten as the memories owner began to lightly bask in the rare sight for his eyes…

Well, EYE…

But as nice as the sunrise was, he needed to get moving, Fairy tail wasn't going to walk over to him, he needed to cover as much ground as he possibly could with the safety of daylight, view be damned.

"We should wake those two up and start heading straight toward Magnolia..." Gray spoke, his voice somewhat scratchy due to the lack of moisture, but he soldiered on. "If Gildarts was right then the next train station should be in Tripdon."

"Hang on, you don't want to enjoy this? You know it's hard to stay awake long enough to see this right?" Vali looked at him with curiosity. _'I would've thought seeing this shit would be a nice down time for him, not a motivational crux.'_

"I don't care." Gray's retort was a mix between an annoyed growl and exasperation. Giving the Earth mage the necessary incentive to raise his hands up in a placating manner. "The more time I waste staring off into the universe, the less time I actually have to become stronger."

His acquaintance tutted, Gray could just hear the sarcastic reply before it even left his mouth…

"Coming from the guy that took down a giant with little more than a chop to the neck? Two years younger than me? Who also happens to wield two types of magic? YOU of all people want to get stronger at your age? This is coming from me, an eleven year old mind you!"

' _Okay, maybe not sarcasm…'_

"Maybe I should start calling you a Goku wannabe..."

' _Nevermind… Bloody Manga...'_

 _:::-((x))-:::_

After an hour of the two boys arguing had finally woke up the two slumbering girls. Amelia didn't appreciate the rude awakening, especially as it effectively made her sister jump into the air when Vali had 'accidentally' rose his voice to a considerably higher decibel.

She made this more than clear with a swift blow to the back of Vali's head, knocking him into Gray and the Devil Slayer let out a girlish yelp as the two tumbled to the ground with a loud thud. This quickly turned Mary's fright into laughter when they struggle to dislodge themselves from each other.

The process had been slow, annoying and completely humiliating for Gray, his blood boiled with anger towards the adult of the group and he made a mental note to make sure he froze everything she tried to sit on on lay down upon over to get her back. After-all, he couldn't kick her out or Mary would have to go to and Vali would give him lip all the way to Magnolia…

Well, he had a feeling that would be how it went down…

But he and the Earth Mage in question received a slight shock when they both finished freshening up near the lake.

–

"Well, this is where we part ways." Amelia looked over to the two boys, hair damp from the lake they had freshened up in. pointing at the sign with 'North' and 'West' hammered into the post. "I am taking Mary away from that town, we can start a new life somewhere away from it and hopefully live happily from now."

Her announcement caught the other three off guard, Mary hadn't even been privy to the decision but she wasn't about to disagree when she knew nothing about travel.

"Okay? Where are you going precisely though?" The logic wasn't all there, Vali wasn't a guy for such a concept but he knew enough to have a qualm or two with the sudden decision. But Amelia had realised her mistake in phrasing and made up for it quickly enough.

"Oh, I mean I am probably see if we can find somewhere near that academy you went too." Well, at least she had a general idea of what she was doing. Vali Let out a relieved sigh before realising what she said.

"Wait, hang on." He held up his hands to silence any more chatter. "Are you taking my suggestion to heart? Oh, my heart tingles in the warmth..."

She blushed. "S-Shut up. I just want to make my Sister happy."

"And I am sure you'll do that." Vali replied, all trace of sarcasm gone. "Even if she leaves the academy or she doesn't make it in you'll help her, you seem to be a huge role model for her so you must have done something right along the way."

"Yeah sis! I want to be like you when I get older! Your so cool and smart and I want to be like that and be super strong like Gray and Vali!" Mary yipped with determination. But her statement wasn't only surprising to Amelia.

"WHAT!?" The unified exclamation of surprise from the two boys was not lost on either of the girls. Vali looked like he had been told he was going to be worshipped as the new messiah, his pleasant shock softly crossing over his features before going back to his lazy smile. Gray on the other hand couldn't seem to quell that shock that seemed to breach it's way through his body, standing solid with a look of pure confusion plastered onto his face.

Vali was obviously the first to recover from Mary's words. "Y-You want to be like u-us? Why?" He asked slightly shaky in his delivery.

Mary smiled brightly. "You two are so strong, you beat the Unicol with almost no earth around and Gray beat that giant that was chasing after us so quickly! You're awesome, I want to grow to be that strong!"

The Earth Mage felt flattered, trying to think of what to say next. But nothing came to his head, no jokes, no sarcasm, not even an honest sentence… Just blankness. This girl a few years younger than himself and possibly Gray looked at him and said Ice Mage as if they were gods!

"But I didn't beat the Unicol, the old fart did, in fact he seems to be much more powerful than me and Gray put together and timed by ten. What's so special about me?"

The girl looked at him as if he'd grown two or three extra heads. As if what he was saying was somehow blasphemous to the very way of life itself. "You are so kind and funny! You try to your kindness with rude and long jokes or answers, but you are a big, kind teddy bear on the inside!"

His face exploded in a huge red blush and Gray saw it, snickering away at his expense.

Amelia chimed in next. "Also, from what I saw, you didn't get to fight the creature off because you had to keep Gildarts in check. Your pranks showed just how little control he has over his magic and if he were to attack that thing and not kill it right away he would have destroyed the only platform we were on but he would have also left us with no way to get here without Gray showing up."

"In reality, Gildarts traded in his control for strength, not to say he has none- but at the end of the day you and Gray have shown to be powerful and able to control your magic well enough to not destroy anything around you."

"If we try, also Gildarts' magic is based around Breaking magic." He couldn't help but point that out.

"Same difference." Gray butted in, seemingly tired of his acquaintance arguing with the two girls. "At the end of the day we have control, he doesn't, end of story." He ended by grabbing the back of Vali's shirt and started dragging him away as if he were dragging a statue.

"Wait, do you guys even have any Jewel to get to Magnolia?"

Gray froze, literally…

As he was holding onto Vali's shirt…

"Ack! thaw me out you dolt, I am not unable to freeze to death you know!?" Vali sputtered in indignation. He could feel his body shiver, but whether or not it was from the cold or from the claim that Amelia just let out…

"uuuuhhh, uuuuuhhhh…."

Amelia sweatdropped, struggling not to let her hand meet up with her face as she watched Vali flail around helplessly as Gray continued to do his statue impression.

"I-I-I'll think of something, yeah, I'll do just that." The Devil Slayer stuttered pathetically. His face the very definition of shock, his body didn't even wince at his nervousness when he spoke.

His answer was pyrrhic victory at best…

But before he could continue on, Amelia held her hand up to silence him and Vali (just in case). The two boys looked over in confusion, well Vali did once Gray cuffed him around the back of the head and thawed him out of his icy prison.

"I have a little surprise for you two, a little thank you gift." She smiled before walking over to Vali and handing him a big bag full of something soft. "Even though you two have stressed me out enough to give me grey hairs early you two still helped save us from our lives."

"In that bag is a bunch of gold cotton, the value is much more higher than gold due to it's weight in comparison to standard gold. This should get you to where you need to go. But don't get it wet or it will dissolve."

Her warning stuck with Gray and Vali, the only form of currency they had had both been lost, Gray's was lost to Gildarts, who had accidentally took his remaining jewel along with his bag of nude girls. Vali lost his when he got stuck in Mone and couldn't get out without the certain result of death.

Vali stood there, staring at the bag that held the key his future and Grays. He hadn't noticed at first but he found himself fighting back a swell of emotion at the exceptional act of kindness from Amelia. He wasn't worthy of this, let alone Mary's idolization. But he would happily except it to keep them happy, also Gray would probably kill him if he declined…

So with a content sigh, he looked up to meet Amelia's eyes and smiled a smile that reached eyes. "Thanks for the help, we hope you two have a good life ahead of you. Thank you once again."

"Yeah, thanks- err, yeah, you get it." Gray awkwardly stumbled, still fighting back his embarrassed blush.

Mary giggled at his embarrassment, pulling at her sisters sleeve to get her attention. "Come on sis! We've got a home waiting for us!" She said, pulling her sleeve harder and quicker before Amelia finally relented.

"You're right, lets go." She smiled, turning around finally start her life anew with her sister. Before she left though she looked back to see the two boys still there. Smiling (well, Gray's smile being more of a lopsided grin). "Goodbye boys, I hope we get to meet again in the future."

Vali nodded. "Yeah, see'ya." He replied, waving to the retreating figures lazily as Gray nodded lightly lifting his arm up for a few seconds before letting it drop down to his side again.

After a while, the girls had finally disappeared beyond the horizon, leaving Vali and Gray standing in the middle of the pathway. Finally Vali brushes a part of his hair out of his face and turns to face his companion who was adjusting his trench-coat.

"Yo, maybe now would be a good time to get moving?" Vali Suggested, his hair quickly falling back in front of his eyes again. "We turn this gold cotton in and get ourselves a pair of train tickets to Magnolia, then you can make the guild miserable with your brooding." His voice took on a happy sigh that was definitely sarcastic, annoying Gray once again.

He demonstrated his annoyance by smacking him around the head again…

"Shut it, let's just get to the town." He grumbled back, reaching for Vali's shirt collar and clutching it once again before forcefully dragging him towards the town…

"H-Hey! Stop doing that!"

"Shut up."

"Goku wannabe!"

"Earthworm!"

"Grumpy bollocks!"

"Cynical asshole!"

"Pot, kettle, black!"

"Fuck off!"

 _:::-((x))-:::_

(3 hours later)

"I swear Gray, if you continue to pull me by the collar I am going to throw you into the nearest lake and laugh as you squeal."

"Try that and I will turn you into my next ice sculpture..."

"Very original, well if you even so much as attempt to do that I will bury you 10 feet under with an effigy of a naked Gildarts to keep you company."

' _This is getting bloody stupid!'_ Gray mentally growled. His irritation pushing past it's usual restraints and reaching new heights of frustration that seemed merely mythical. He knew back then that he shouldn't had started dragging the Earth mage but he was definitely pushing his luck- and he hadn't even been with him for more than a day…

He brought this on himself…

But a naked effigy of that old fart? With a gunky groin region and a perverted expression? The mere thought of that made him shudder for all his worth- And subsequently punch Vali on the nose…

And punch he did, just as his acquaintance finished speaking Gray drew back his fist and clench it hard before driving it into the older boys nose, and with a comical 'crunch' Vali's head snapped back as he was sent onto his back.

"AH! Shiit….!" The downed eleven year old held his nose with a wince, looking up at Gray with a pained smirk. "You little bastard, that punch was terrible!" He tried to cackle, but ended up groaning as his nose accidentally exhaled. "I guess you ain't a Goku wannabe, you're more like Vegeta..."

That little comment earned him a swift kick to the bollocks…

"AAAAAHHHH!"

Gray almost smirked… But as much fun as this was, he really needed to turn this golden cotton in…

"Get up Bayonetta, we have train tickets to buy." He snarked before turning on his heel and walking away…

He would pretend that the amused snort he heard never happened…

"Fine, fine. Just don't get me in the nads again." The warning was backed up by the slight sadistic grin Vali began to get on his face. But he knew Gray wouldn't see it, so he got himself back up and jogged back over towards the Devil Slayer. "Say, how much do you th- WAHHH!?"

Gray jumped at the sound of his fellow travellers yell. But before he could turn around to rebuke him, he felt no weight in his arms, as if the bag had been taken out of existence. Looking down only cemented that fact…

"WAHHH!?" He yelled, mimicking his partner.

"Uh…. I just saw it vanish….?" Vali could only blink rapidly, his brain trying to process what in the ever living fuck just occurred. "What. The. Fuck..."

"I think you mean 'where the fuck?'" Gray growled, malice dripping from each word which almost startled Vali, but when he turned his head to face what his comrade was facing, he completely understood.

In fact, he completely and utterly understood.

"Thief!" The two shouted in unison, causing the figure in a striped shirt began scamper.

Vali acted out first, literally blitzing past Gray at speeds that his comrade couldn't even comprehend and struck his foot out against the wall to turn as he reached it. Gray following desperately from the rear, not pulling off the acrobatic moves Vali seemed capable of performing.

The figure squeaked in fear at seeing their forms rushing him, he picked up the pace due to said fear, forcefully knocking down anything tip-able. But Vali shocked both him and Gray when he jumped near to the wall before using the momentum to jump off of said wall to a closed iron bin liner before picking up the pace with the target and effectively avoiding the debris in the way.

Gray simply jumped over the obstacles using his enhanced strength. Which got a grin out of Vali and another panicked look from the thief.

For a good minute they chased the poor thief through the alleyway, ducking, jumping, twisting, turning, dodging and weaving their way around anything that the thief threw in the way, or was already in the way to begin with.

But Gray could easily see from here that the alleyway was coming to a close, which meant he could freeze the ground without stopping to concentrate. The thief's advantage would be gone. If Vali hadn't managed to perform another wall-run and land on the thief's shoulders.

The eleven year old quickly flipped off of the thief to land in front of him whilst pushing him a few feet back due to the force put into the jump. Grinning when he got back up, he leaned against the wall and made the motion for the thief to turn around.

Like a gullible child, the thief did exactly that, only to find his face and a giant icy Bo Staff sharing a violent and painful kiss. The thief's head snapped back, causing him to lose his balance and Vali, seeing this lazily stuck his foot out which sent the thief crashing into a puddle. A deep puddle.

But the thing that neither the boys or the thief expected to happen was for the many treasure's the thief had stolen to suddenly spill out of his onesie, including the bag of gold cotton.

Which so happened to land directly in the deepest part of the puddle…

"No! No, nononononononononono!" Vali yelled, seeing his precious gold cotton slowly dissolving within the water. "Shit, fuck, shit, fuck, shit, fuckity fuck fuck fucking fuck!" He kicked the thief out of his way as he dropped to his knees and mourned the loss of his darling gold cotton…

"No… My beautiful baby golden cotton balls of fucking awesome! You've gone black and worthless..." he looked up to Gray, who was giving him a strange look… "I wasn't being racist, I meant the gold has become wet, therefore we are now stuck here for the rest of eternity!"

"I know..." Gray rolled his eye, but looked just as angry and distraught. He whirled his head around to face the thief responsible. "You bastard..." He growled angrily.

But…

"Hey! That's my bag!"

"My wallet!"

"My Jacksepticeye key-chain!"

One by one, those who heard the commotion began to swarm around the two boys and the thief. After a while each person, man, woman and child began to fish for their lost items, causing thief to shout at them to stop. But as soon as they looked at him he began to regret that action.

"M-My speed-you-up X pills! W-Where are th-" He was cut off by the horde of angry townspeople, who began to land punches and kicks upon his being, he was hit everywhere. Just as his vision was blacking out, he looked over to see the two boys talking to a man in a suit with blonde hair…

If Doranbo's memory served him right, that man was the Heartfillia patriarch. The man by his side his bodyguard…

"Shit! My precious millions re-stolen from me!" He cursed weakly, before receiving a viscous kick to the balls, the pain being to much for him to handle as he blacked out completely. His last thoughts were promises of revenge.

' _I won't let you get away with this ice mage..'_ His mental voice sounding resolute before succumbing to the unconsciousness to…

:::-((x))-:::

"Okay, whats going on again, sorry for my friend here, he isn't very sociable." Vali stepped in-between the two before Gray could blow up at the man. "So let me get this straight, you lost your wallet to that shimmering shit head whilst on a business trip here?"

"Yes, and you two caught him earlier." The two boys nodded their heads to the man question. Making him smile a small smile.

"But we lost a precious G-mmmmppphhhmmm" He got cut off by Gray putting his hand over his mouth, but he continued to lament over the lost valuables.

"I will harm you Vali." Gray gave him a dirty look. The man just chuckled at the antics the got themselves into before holding a hand up to silence them.

"You managed to save me losing a lot of money today boys, money that will be used to build and expand my business. But more importantly..." His features softened, looking at the inside of his wallet, confusing Gray for a second. Until he pulled the picture out and revealed it to them.

Gray's jaw dropped…

"Lucy? You're Lucy's father?!" He felt like falling to pieces right there, he honestly thought that he would never even think about the Heartfillia girl again, but now…

This caught the man's attention, he looked at the boy with shock. "You've met her?" His questioning gaze scanned the boy for any trace of deceit, only to find none.

"Yeah! It was back in Isvan, she went to Murdock village with her mother." He explained, the surprise still in his system.

"Well, I feel like the third wheel here, care to fill me in?" Vali shifted awkwardly. Causing the man to boom out with laughter at his words.

"You are a funny one young man! And you-" He looked back over to Gray. "Must be that Gray kid she was talking about a few months back. I was wondering how someone made my shy daughter so lively." He chuckled, remembering his wife's face as Lucy went on about how he could use ice and how awesome his ice constellation was. He didn't know what she was talking about soon enough, but continued to listen as she ran herself to sleep.

She had been so shy and timid around others her age, but after meeting Gray for the brief period, she seemed to perk up a little. Her mother, Layla humouring her all the way through when he was away at work. He always felt terrible, working constantly, never spending time with his daughter but thanks to this kid she was actually getting happier, the family couldn't be better if it tried at this point in time.

He owed this kid….

"Well, i'll tell her you said hello when I get home. But for now, allow me to be of some help to you." He smiled down at the two boys. "Just name what you want or need and consider it done..."

The shock was already working it's out of their system, so when they faced each other, a triumphant grin began to form on their faces.

' _Oh fuck yes!/Oh yeah...'_

:::-((x))-:::

"This may just very well be the best day ever… Just a thought..." Vali smirked, leaning back into the soft seat with a sigh. "He even got us three bento's each! Fucking three! I will be like a huge tub of lard afterwards, well unless you want some." He chuckled, about to scarf down some rice, only to be stopped by a pair of chopsticks which forcefully separated his own away from the other. Causing the rice to fall onto his face…

Gray grinned evilly, watching the Earth Mage sputter and shake his head to rid himself of the rogue rice. "That'll teach you..."

"Vegeta wannabe..." Vali mumbled.

"Bayonetta cosplayer..." Gray retorted heatedly. His eye twitching as he adjusted his charmed ring and eyepatch.

"Whatever, I am going to change quick, i'll be back..." Vali moved the bento box off of his lap before standing up and taking the clothes he got from Jude (they found his name out) and leaving for some privacy…

"I should probably do the same..." Gray looked down to his torn clothes, the brown shirt and trench-coat were wrecked. He put them on two days ago, after Drum bee destroyed most of his black clothes. But with Jude's insistence he and Vali got themselves new clothes to keep them warmer and comfortable on the way to Magnolia.

Gray got up and looked down to the new clothes, his new black _leather_ trench-coat gleamed as the sun shone on a sector of it's surface, making the boy grin. His black trousers were pristine and his new long sleeve shirt seemed to brighten the outfit in general. Looking at the clothes, he was thrown back to when he was with Ur again, when he wore the same clothes, the only difference being that this new shirt was skin tight and a maroon shade of red instead of sky blue and loose fitting.

' _Well, time to change...' H_ e thought, excitement taking over as he quickly fumbled out of his old and torn clothes into his new ones before sitting back down and gazing across the horizon. _'What is this excitement that I am feeling? The prospect of power? Has to be, well, maybe that and seeing what this guild in Magnolia is about. This will be new for me, I can't wait...'_

"Magnolia… Fairy tail…. Here I come..."

"And here I come too, I think..."

"Bugger off!"

:::-((x))-:::

So that ends this chapter of Trials of ice. How nice, I was getting annoyed with how annoying that whole Mone and Mary/Amelia part of Ice trials was to write.

 **Update:**

I originally wasn't going to tell you all this but with my lack of consistency and updates I thought I would tell you now. As you know the time it will take to complete this story will be a very long time. I knew this and I want to put it on pause every now and then to do another story and give you something more to read other than this because I understand that you guys don't find this as interesting as TRE or OP.

So what I am trying to say is when I complete the Ice Trials arc, this will be put on hold for a little while so I can do something different other than THIS Gray and after I do an arc or season (if the story is short enough) I will come back to this, do maybe three or four arcs before putting it on hold again and doing another season or arc. Make sense?

For those that do like this and want to see more do not worry, I haven't completed Ice trials yet so you have some more chapters to go before I do something else.

But for those who are wondering what story I will do next, well, I have been itching to do the next season of The Ripple Effect… I have some plans I want to play with and some explanations I want to put forward with that universe look forward to that. :)

 **Update done-**

 **Spoilers:**

Finally, for those who are wondering, I am only slightly looking forward to the Gray and Natsu fight. I mean I know when Mashima puts words like 'tragic' down, he is obviously lying to our face, he didn't kill Gajeel off, nor did he kill off Juvia so there is no way he will kill of Gray. But he will probably pull a bullshit card like he normally does to have Natsu one-shot him. It honestly wouldn't surprise me any more…

Anyway, thank you all for reading and I do apologise for my late uploading again, but College is fucking brutal, I just lost my fucking FT satchel too to make things even more worse…

Thanks for reading once again...

-Viperhat


	20. Ice Trials: Seven

So Gray and Natsu have started fighting… For real… GO GRAY! PASTE NATSU INTO THE FUCKING GROUND THEN KEEP THE FUCK AWAY FROM JUVIA! WWWWOOOOOOO!

Juvia should still be dead, Mashima's comments on why he doesn't kill characters only annoyed me further. i'll get into Makarov's moment at the end. I have no comment for the more recent chapter other than Erza's hands look fucked...

LET'S READ!

:::-((x))-:::

"Okay, what the hell are you wearing?"

"Clothes, what do you think i'm wearing?"

"That!"

"Well spotted detective Fullbuster..."

"Get changed before I break you!"

"Ooooh, temper temper."

"THAT'S IT!"

Every passenger almost winced at the sound of heavy banging and thud's that happened a few seconds from each other. Some thought a rowdy couple were going at it like horny rabbits, some thought that a wheel was starting to come loose…

But they mostly thought to people were having it off…

But Gray and Vali had no clue. The two just continued their petty scuffle over the Earth Mage's fashion sense. Gray ducked under the older boys deadly right hook before reaching up and grabbing his neck and forcefully slamming his head into the nearby wall, causing Vali grunt in slight pain.

Vali got his revenge however- when he managed to hook his right foot around Gray's ankle, pulling it back and making the Ice mage lose his balance, he quickly followed up by pivoting out of his grasp and sending his left foot into Grays side before finishing his counter by bringing his right foot up and sending it down onto the back of Grays exposed head, effectively sending him to the floor with a heavy 'thud'.

"Are you quite done?! I must prepare for my fabulous reveal in Magnolia!" Vali joked, giggling as he avoided Grays sweeping foot by jumping a few metres back. To add a dramatical flair he begun to mockingly adjust his skin tight black vest, which left almost nothing to the imagination as his toned and more developed body was squashed against the fabric. He pulled the belted and studded leather trousers up higher to sit around his slim waist before checking his sand pouches around the belt.

"Anyway, are you sure you can talk? You look like you've had you chest destroyed and replaced with a giant red lego block." The smile got wider on Vali's face, however, he wasn't fast enough this time as Gray got up and launched himself at the Earth Mage, knocking the two of them down against the trains window.

The two continued to wrestle for victory for another minute or two before they were interrupted by a young voice clearing his throat. Gray and Vali stopped trying to kill each other and looked toward the offending intruder.

The voice was most definitely a boy, he wore a pair of rectangular glasses with black rims that contrasted nicely with his healthy white hair. He wore a thick leather jacket that covered the entirety of his upper body, even his neck. The jacket matched his black boots which were separated by his white baggy trouser that were tucked into his boots, making him look like a farmer to some extent.

He stood at the door, standing perfectly straight with practised ease, looking at the two awkwardly as he saw the position they were in. How bold…

Gray noticed two, seeing as he was on the bottom being held firmly in place by Vali who had his wrists planted on the ground. He yelped like a girl again before kicking Vali off of him who grunted again as he collided with the seat next to him. He shook his head and looked at Gray with a grin.

"I won then?" He asked with the most fake expression of innocence. Making Grays face go the shade of a tomato from pure anger.

"Take a time out you bastard!" Gray screamed, before slamming his hands together. "Ice-Make: Tower!"

Before either Vali or the boy could do anything, Vali found himself being slammed into the ceiling of the train by a pole of ice, which didn't dissipate after, effectively keeping him in place.

Vali just gave a little victory dance from the ceiling and left it at that until Gray calmed himself down.

Gray got out of his position and dusted himself off before looking at the stunned boy in black and white. The boy took the silence as his chance to speak before the Ice Mage got annoyed with him too.

"Um, may I sit here?" He asked, gesturing to the empty seats. He waited for an answer, the atmosphere getting more awkward the longer Gray continued to stand there.

He couldn't get his head around it, the fact that this boy had just seen him and the Earthworm on the ground, trying to abuse each other for the petty concept of clothing articles and then watch as he sent said Earthworm into the ceiling and keep him there before turning to him casually to give him to 'ok' to speak.

And his first question was if could sit with them, despite looking like complete and utter psycho's?

' _Oh yeah, this kid probably has issues...'_ Gray eventually nodded and went back to sitting next to the window. The kid seemed to brighten up at this.

"Thanks! Good afternoon." The bright way he greeted Gray would make anyone think he hadn't just seen a fight occur.

"Yeah, hey..." Gray grunted in reply, looking out the window again, trying to ignore everything around him. Including the calm mumblings to be let free by Vali.

They all continued to sit (Vali lay) in silence, the awkward tension rapidly rising, with the white haired boy not realising a single bit of it.

"Trains are swell aren't they?" He asked, his voice blissfully happy and ignorant of Grays discomfort.

"Mmmhhmmm." Gray grunted. Trying his hardest to ignore the hell he was stuck with for the train journey.

"Say, how far are you headed?"

"Magnolia..."

"Really!" The boy looked delighted. "What a coincidence, I happen to be going to magnolia to!" This caused Gray to inwardly blanch…

' _N-No…. I'm already stuck with Vali, please don't make stay with you too….'_ He shook his head, trying to rid himself of such a trauma inducing thought…

"I'm Pause Lightless, pleased to make your acquaintance." He greeted.

"Waaay to late for that buddy." Vali's muffled voice came from the ice tower. "You've been talking for a full thirty seconds before telling us your name."

"I forgot about you." Gray grumbled, dissipating his ice, causing the Earth Mage to yell as he hit the ground hard with a loud 'thump'. "Next time I'll freeze you whole..."

"Love you to." Was the sarcastic reply he got, tempting him to slam the Earth Mage into the ceiling again. "Anyway." Vali looked over towards Pause with a lazy smile. "I'm Vali, and that grumpy bastard is Gray."

"Fullbuster, Gray Fullbuster." Gray corrected, annoyed.

"Okay, then, my turn." Vali sighed at having his fun ruined… again. "Vali Conway."

That caused Gray to raise an eyebrow… Well, his fake, charm induced eyebrow. _'I hadn't known his sir name… It does suit him I guess. Nice and easy to remember.'_

"Nice to meet you." Pause looked at the two of them, easily spotting the differences between them. Gray had been completely anti-social, always annoyed and barely putting any effort into his answers.

Vali seemed much more… eccentric. His lazily extrovert personality combined with his mixed accent made him really memorable. His accent seemed to be mainly aristocratic, but held a tinge of commoner mumble in it to give it an interesting tone and lilt. He had been hard to decipher emotionally, he seemed non-plussed by being stuck to the ceiling like some troublesome fly and even continued to piss Gray off.

These two were not a good combination to be around…

But they seemed like good people at their core. That's what mattered, right?

"Hey Gray..." Vali leaned over, invading Grays space on purpose. "You are ugly."

He got a fist to the face for such a comment. Knocking him out of his seat and onto the floor.

"Worth it."

"You won't say that when I throw you out of the train."

"Hmmm…. No, I probably will..."

The argument was beginning to start up again, soon enough, magic would start to fly, blows would start to be blown, most would connect. If Pause hadn't pulled out a ridiculously huge book, plopping it onto his lap and engaging himself in it's contents.

That caught the attention of the two battling boys. They both whipped their heads over toward the huge block of paper on the boys lap as he flipped through the pages. Both jaws dropping to the floor at it's sheer size.

"What the hell is that thing?" Vali yelled, shock lacing his tone. Pause looked up to meet his covered eyes.

"A book…?" He replied, confused at to why he was acting strangely. But Gray wasn't faring much better.

"That's no book… That's a bloody monster!" He pointed at the offending object, looking at it with a look of shock and fear. Who in their right mind would carry that bastard around!?

But before Pause could reply a loud bark of laughter came from behind them. It sounded male and it also was obnoxious as all hell. Gray winced, listening to it before growling, all he wanted was some peace and quiet!

"Assholes." He steamed, watching as the man on the end of the seat started trying to… Do things to the woman sitting on the opposite side. She tried stopping the advances of the perverts but soon enough they were all trying to force her into their sick little games.

That was when he lost his cool…

"Okay, I've had it with tho- eh?" Gray was all for breaking the bones of scum, but before he could, he watched Pause walk up to the group, who didn't notice the boy until he brought his building sized book down upon one of the men's heads with a force that made both Gray and Vali cringe from the painful thud…

The thugs didn't take to the action to kindly…

Pause whirled around to face the thugs on the left side. Clear annoyance evident in his voice as he spoke. "YOU ARE ACTING TOO ROWDY ON THE TRAIN!" He yelled, a huge mountain of rage evident in his voice as he looked over to the other side to face the rest of the twats. "YOU ARE ALL BEING A NUISCIENCE TO THE OTHER PASSENGERS!"

Vali frowned as when Pause turned to look over towards the first group again. Was his eye twitching?

"And dare I say…? I find you all very much against my liking..." With that ended Pause' mini rant, his left hand clenching his book tightly as visible steam wafted from his ears.

"Gray, this kid has worse anger issues than you, congrats, you ain't the worst." Vali whispered into Grays ear, he managed to avoid the elbow aimed at his gut and snickered before looking over to the commotion again.

Seconds after Pause finished yelling, the thugs began to laugh, even the guy with the book mark on his head. Their laughter caught absolutely no one of guard, Pause didn't come off as threatening in anyway.

Even Vali had a little giggle at the scene…

"Oh you're a funny little shit aren't you?" The thug with blonde hair mocked, a predatory glint twinkling in his eyes for a second as he looked behind him and at his friends for a second, each one of them sharing the same malicious intent. "Hey boys, why don't we shut that yapping mouth up… Permanently?"

The rest murmured in agreement as they began to brandish their weapons, Gray took into account the weapons they all had as Vali quit giggling and got ready to throw down at a moments notice.

' _Knives, bats and one Tanto blade. This will be a piece of cake...'_ Gray got ready to freeze the thugs in place, but just as soon as he was about to make the fools feel sorry for themselves another aura of magic began building up in the train carriage. It was angry, frustrated and somewhat scary depending on the person who felt it's effects…

"With little regard for yourselves, you haphazardly reveal such dangerous weapons." Both Gray and Vali winced at the scathing tone that came from Pause, but were even faster to make their shock clear when various pages began flipping around the carriage at a speed that shouldn't be possible.

Pause spoke again, but his tone got darker and darker the further he went on. "Your incompetence astounds me." He growled, his breathing visibly ragged from the pure rage he was seemingly going through.

"So he's a mage, one with a terrible temper..." Gray whispered, but Vali had heard him, whirling his head to face the Devil Slayer with a raised eyebrow.

"I guess it really does take one to know one!" He yelped, barely catching himself from falling as paper knocked one of his feet from under him. "Pause must be really angry. For some weird ass reason."

"Shut u-"

"BE GONE!" The sudden cry that came from Pause ceased the beginning squabble between the two as they looked back… Only to reel back from the scene before them.

"PULP STORM!" Pause yelled, throwing his arms to his sides as he watched the multi-million pages spiral into one another, creating a huge tornado like storm that had caught the thugs in it's grasp within mere milliseconds.

The force was strong, strong enough to turn up the many seats from there places and force Vali into forming a shield with his pouched earth.

"Pause! This is just a bit too much, stop this you knobhead!" Vali grunted, his feet firmly planted on his wall to stop himself from being flattened against it.

Gray however, stood still with his arms crossed. Vali could understand how he wasn't being chucked about the place but decided against pondering on it.

Then Gray calmly walked up to the raging Pause and quickly formed an icy hammer above him before bringing it down on his head. Knocking the boy to the floor as the ice shattered and disappeared.

This seemed to knock some sense into pause. Vali breathed in a sigh of relief before realising that he was standing on a wall, his earthen wall.

And Gravity existed…

"AHHH!" Vali slammed into the ground and he yelped as his knees took the full blunt force for his inaction. "I knew I should've learned that extra gravity spell! Bollocks that hurt!" He whimpered, rubbing his legs as the wall behind him crumbled and separated, the earth going back into his many pouches.

"Are you quite done now?" Gray looked down on Pause, who stared back in tanks for a reason that neither Gray or Vali could understand.

"Did I slip again?" He asked, making Vali snort…

"I wouldn't call it 'slipping' exactly..." Vali said, unsure of how to describe the scene he had been privy too. "I think a more appropriate terminology for it would be 'Fucking Snapping'..." He spoke calmly, until he got to the end, where he decided to yell the last bit out as if he had just witnessed a murder…

Gray rolled his eye(s), adjusting his charmed ring he turned to go back to his seat. "Pause, if you act like that again, I will use more painful tactics, just letting you know for the future."

Pause nodded. "Thanks, when I lose my temper I also completely lose sight of myself, I think it would be wise for you to take such actions in-case I end up like that again." He smiled gratefully afterwards.

"Sadist..." Vali muttered, earning himself a strong cuff to the back of his head, cutesy of Gray.

"Asshole." Gray spat, getting annoyed with his antics. But on the inside he felt weird, like he wasn't truly angry with the 'antics' his companion continuously created. _'I guess being completely alone would be somewhat boring…'_ But he shook that thought away as soon as it came, he expression going blank on the outside. _'No, they're only a distraction… If I want to become strong, I cannot afford any distractions, never...'_

So he sat back in his seat, more than happy to shut out the rest of the world as he gave into his thoughts about Fairy tail…

"By the way." Vali looked over to Pause, who hummed. "What exactly are we going to do about this?" He asked, gesturing to the train carriage.

Or what was left of it…

Pause shrugged apologetically. "My bad..."

The Earth Mage sweat-dropped. _'I'm stuck with duet of insane bastards… Oh woe is me...'_

:::-((x))-:::

(2 hours later)

"Why does everyone tell me this?"

"Because it is true perhaps?"

"So? I keep on saying that I am more than confident in my skills, I don't need to rely on Gravity magic, the one spell I know for it is good enough for me until I think otherwise."

"Vali, if you stay like you are now you will not learn, or improve..."

"Well, when it is possible for me to better myself I shall train 'strictly' again, but until then what's the point? I do the normal amount of training to keep my skills sharp, that is all I need."

Vali was getting really tired of having this conversation…

All he had done to spark this topic was make a joke about his training, Pause didn't get the joke though. He started berating him on his training, or lack thereof.

It was really starting to annoy him, he had this conversation with his old man, again with one of the academy students and then with Gray and Gildarts, now with Pause…

Was he really that much of a nihilist?..

"Vali, a mage always aspires to become as strong as he can." Pause tried again, hoping Vali would see reason.

"Pause, you know that if someone has a cap then there isn't much they can do about it… The older I get the stronger I get, simple logic."

"You are trying to apply logic to magic, that doesn't work."

"It works enough for me..."

"Va-"

Before either can another word in the temperature dropped rapidly, the two shivered before taking notice of Grays glare. His obsidian orbs boaring straight into Vali's before gazing into Pause'.

"Don't egg him on Pause, he'll only get more annoying..." The cool rebuttal caused Pause to shiver slightly, Gray's voice sounded frosty, deadly almost when he was annoyed and it seemed that only Vali had been able to get him into that state.

Of course, said Earth Mage resented that statement, only proving Gray's point even further before sighing and leaning back into the damaged seat before gazing out from the broken carriage, a thoughtful expression plastering itself onto his face for a few minute before turning back to face the two…

"Why in the shimmering shitting hell are we still in this broken carriage?" He asked, his tone conveying his confusion perfectly clear.

"No reason you alliterating twit." Was the response he got from Gray. He got up from his seat and in boredom, began to pace along the empty carriage's walkway.

Vali, looked around as he stretched his legs, the various empty seats and broken counter-tops that had fallen in the way making it harder for him to walk further as he drank up the aesthetic and detail on each compartment. His boredom starting to get the better of him before he heard a slight rumbling noise coming from the right side of the train where the thick woodlands took over.

"You guys hear that?" He turned back to look at them only to see their questioning stares etching into his back...(before he turned of course)

"What are you blabbering on about now?" Gray grumbled in reply. He really couldn't handle anymore of Vali today, if he was just pissing around again then he would be pissing him off… Again…

But unbeknownst to them, Vali heard the faint rumbling noise get louder…

His face lost all humour when the noise began to get more louder and clearer. He could actually hear the earth breaking and being forced apart the louder it got. It was clear to the Earth Mage as to what was happening…

Whatever was causing this sound was getting closer… And It wasn't slowing down…

That was when he tensed up, the realisation dawning upon him with the weight of a tonne of bricks. His eyes looked over to the right and they widened when he spotted the three huge ridges growing quickly like a snake towards the train… Right towards the carriage they were on…

"Guys..." He droned, tension thick in his voice. The tone completely caught the other two off guard, Vali hadn't acted so alert yet stiff. But the next sentence he spoke got them moving.

"GET AWAY FROM THE EDGE!" Vali quickly summoned some of his pouched Earth and threw his arm upwards, the Earth quickly formed a wide wall at speeds almost impossible to catch with the naked eye.

Gray and Pause jumped into action, moving nearer to the wall to avoid whatever danger was coming their way. Suddenly, the wall ended up coming straight to them as they were in mid-air, painfully.

The train had lurched violently again, almost throwing Vali off of the train as he effortlessly regained his balance a few seconds later.

"Can you guys get up now!?" He attempted to raise some Earth from the ground, but the train was simply going too fast for him to keep his control for long, the Earth he got was instantly dropped a few seconds after as the initial ground whizzed by him at the speed of near sound. "Why do these fucking trains have to be so fast!?"

"Nevermind Vali, lets just get off of this carriage!" Gray told him, grabbing Vali's vest by the back and dragging him forcefully away as Pause ran beside him.

"Get off me Cyclops!" The Earth Mage rapidly summoned his own Earth back before trying to pry Grays hand off of his back for the second time that day. But Gray pulled him roughly at hearing the insult.

Finally, the three boys reached the door that lead to the next carriage, Gray being the polite boy he was, quickly threw Vali into the carriage and Motioned for Pause to go next before he entered himself.

"Okay, first off," Vali got up, dusting himself off as he glared at Gray. "Fuck you and maybe you too Pause because why not? And secondly, Gray stop dragging me everywhere!"

"Shut up." Gray Push his hand up and into Vali's face before pushing him onto an unoccupied seat before looking up to where a steel door resided…

"I think we need to see the driver..."

"Driver? it's a train..."

Gray chose to ignore him… For now…

:::-((x))-:::

"And if they're kids then the price goes up exponentially..." Came whimsical voice of a man. "It's practically a living treasure!" His one visible gleamed and twitched slightly, his retracting pupil making him look all the more insane.

This revelation seemed to bring in an atmosphere fit for celebration. As soon as the man, who was seemingly the leader finished his comrades begun to cheer and ramble in complete awe about the Jewel involved.

The leader of the group lifted a slim hand up to his white mop of hair and raked it through his fingers, his red eye twitched viscously once again as he thought about what he could spend the jewel on. Who said the others were getting a share? Certainly not him.

He grinned behind his black face mask, looking at the little bundle of fur holding onto the bars of it's cage. Looking at him with watery eyes as if it was pleading him to let the poor creature go free. This only made the lust for his reward grow further.

However, he was brought out of his revere with a huge clanging sound and a rather large visual of the walls and roof being ripped off of the train.

What a rude awakening…

The two ginormous moles had come into view when the walls and roof were thrown away, their expressions one of pure, smouldering rage as they gazed upon him and the cage next to him. But instead of cowering at the ridiculous size they sported, he let out a little crazed laugh before standing up to face the two parent animals. Quickly reaching behind his back and brandishing his trusty, clean, huge, two-handed, fuck off cleaver and bracing himself for some fun slaughter…

"Aww, did we make you cry?" The sound of growling coming from the moles gave him the response he was looking for. "This is perfect. We'll be able to round them up and sell them all!" He laughed manically, readying his weapon to strike before he looked over and saw the small figures of children to his left. How he didn't hear them getting near them was beyond him, but it didn't matter now…

"What's the matter little boys? Just go on back to your seats eh?"

:::-((x))-:::

It was as he uttered those words, did Pause' unnatural temper get the better of him once again…

"Nope." Vali moaned, jumping past the wary Gray in an attempt to snap Pause out of his daze… Again. "No." He summoned a massive huge ball of Earth from the sides of the train, which was slowing down. They must have found out about the little problem. "Nuh Uh! Not again you angry bastard!"

Aaaaaaannnnnnnnddddd Crash…

Aaaaaaannnnnnnnddddd Thud…

Everything stopped… Even the Moles stopped to stare at the weird spectacle, but the Earth Mages reaction did exactly what it was meant to do, the way Pause got up and gave the Pouching guild a glare but didn't go absolutely ballistic was proof of that.

"There we go.. Now." Vali grinned sadistically, looking over towards the opposing group. "Shall we begin my abysmal looking darlings?"

"You don't what you're getting yourself into, do you boys?" The leader spoke, his tone scathing to the core without losing his sing song lilt. It was rather disturbing to hear. But he was now pointing his weapon at Pause now.

"I think it's you who has no idea what he's is getting into." The area around the group began to frost over and small crystals of ice began to form and shatter in the air due to the moisture from the warm weather, scaring some of the members and causing the others to shiver. Gray simply smirked coldly at them as he walked up to stand aside Vali.

"Let's teach these villains a lesson they shall never forget." With his huge book in his twitching hand, Pause stood up and faced the leader menacingly.

That set the rest off into a frenzy of fear and chaos…

"Fuck! Boss, forget about the jewel! This ain't worth it!" One of his men came up to him and begged him to let them leave. But the white haired man just glared at the minion, disgust and anger brimming in his crimson eyes.

"A little afraid are we?" The unsaid threat was left unsaid. "Well, you'll be very afraid if you don't kill these brats… Do you understand?"

"Please master! Don't let us do this!" Another member cried out, terror filling his frame as he began to shake.

He got no response…

The frost began to become crisper and a huge circle of ice formed under the guilds feet before two slabs of Ice sprout from the ground and bend to face a portion of the members, they had no chance to react before the two icy towers slammed them into each other, squashing them between the ice until the pain knocked them unconscious.

"What? How did!?" The guild leader looked back to see Gray pull his hand out of a pool of ice beneath himself, his arm reflecting off of the light being shone on his… Icy arm?!

The kid was a mage, it was safe to bet that the other two were mages too.

But that _power…_

"Nice one Grumpy… I had no idea you could do that too!" Vali laughed heartily, clapping the younger boy on the back. "Now, my turn boys!"

Vali, summoned his pouched Earth, but instead of a shield he threw his right arm forward and yawned when the Earth flew toward the remaining members (sans the leader) and splintered off into separate shards of sharp, spiny and hardened boulders.

The enemy force tried to flee, abandoning their orders and focussed on preserving their own lives, unfortunately, they didn't get far before being crippled and smashed to the ground by the almost deadly Earth shards.

"Ahhh, that was almost pathetic." Vali, called back his Earth and stuffed his hands into his pockets before bumping fists with Gray.

And then there was only one…

This time though, he completely understood his members plight. He had under-estimated the kids and now he was going to lose everything.

"You boys are… Yo- You weren't bluffing!"

"Now, you shall perish for your dastardly crimes, fiend!" Pause' veins in his forehead throbbed violently, his anger clearly starting to take over as he jumped into the air and threw his hands in front of him, a magic circle appearing and starting to pulse with magic.

"Pulp Storm!" He bellowed with more force than a kid should have, watching the book in his right fly into the magic circle before opening, an impossible amount of pages blasting out from within it's depths and forming into a huge stream of pulp before crashing into the leader with devastating force.

"GUUAAAHHH!" Came the choked scream from within the deadly pages...

He was well and truly done for, the King Moles were going to be after his blood for his crimes against their family and after Pause' over-powered attack he wouldn't be in the best shape to be running away.

As if they had also figured this out too, the Moles sent their fists straight into Pause' attack, crushing both the pages and the deranged guild leader underneath…

Vali for one, didn't want to be caught in the area as the potential corpse along with the other unconscious men and women scattered everywhere… If the guy was mashed up or not was unknown, but once again…

"I don't want to be seen here dammit!" He cried, performing an axe kick on Pause' head to knock him he immediately grabbed him before latching his left hand onto Gray's collar and dragging him to another compartment with the care and grace of a drunk Vulcan.

:::-((x))-:::

Even though he was being horribly and most certainly abused by an angry Gray, Vali didn't regret getting some payback in the slightest…

Until Gray decided to land a haymaker on his groin…

' _Yeah! Okay, maybe now I have some regret! Fuck that hurt!'_ He cringed, deciding to roll out of the way if the Ice Mage's icy fist, managing to avoid his punishment as his friends fist sailed through the air and even forcing it's way through the trains hard floor…

"You know-" Vali started, grinning as he blocked Grays fist and shoved him back playfully, illicting an annoyed growl from him. "We better not get caught braking the train any more-" He sidestepped the admittedly awfully fast kick before jumping into the wall and kicking away from it to land behind Gray, from where he expertly grabbed his arms and restraining him in a tight grip.

"But just incase we do, I am going to say it's your fault okay? Cool, thanks!" He mockingly saluted Gray, but that was when he realised that he had actually let go of one of his arms. Oh shi-" He couldn't finish his blasphemous phrase as he was elbowed harshly in the face and pushed into one of the seats by his younger travel buddy… Who got up into his face.

"Do that to me again and i'll break your arms..."

"You'll arm my break what?" He feigned confusion, only to smirk deviously when Gray sputtered in rage. "Boy you really do have anger issues. Here I thought Pause here had you beat!"

That almost cost him a huge price of an icy spear through his face… _'Oh what am I kidding, Gray won't actually hurt me… Mostly… Maybe… okay, maybe a little.'_

"Ok Gray, thats enough." Suddenly, with strength that Gray didn't expect him to have, he shoved Gray back forcefully and before he knew it, he found himself cuffed to the wall, curtsey of Vali's pouched Earth.

This only served to piss him off even further…

But luckily, just as Vali was about to taunt Gray more, a small groan was heard by the two of them. The faint movement also caught their attention as they shifted their gazes over the the waking form of Pause. Vali, after a moment looked back over to Gray with a questioning glance.

"Maybe I kicked him too hard?"

"Maybe." Gray gave his best attempt at shrugging as he was still stuck on the wall, all previous anger forgotten about…

"It's okay, it still calmed me down fully." The groggy sentence filled the room, making Vali snort.

"Still, I might have overdone it with an axe kick to your head, you shouldn't really use that type of kick unless you really want to render one's self unconscious." Even though he was apologising, Vali didn't sound apologetic…

It was almost like he didn't care…

"Still causing havoc for others then?"

The room froze…

The familiar voice caught the attention of Vali and Gray, who looked at each other with shock for a second, before dread started to take over…

"Oh god, please don't let it be _him_ again..." Vali gulped.

"If it is..." Gray shivered…

Pause just looked flummoxed at the weird(er) behaviour his two companions were expressing.

But after gathering their courage, Gray and Vli took a deep breath and bravely looked over towards the door to their compartment and saw the one guy they really didn't want to see again…

"Sssshhhiiiiiisssssshhhiiiisshhhhhiiii..."

:::-((x))-:::

Jesus this chapter was fucking BORING to write, I really hope it is more fun to read than it was for me to write though. XD

I think the next chapter may be a shorter one because this segment is really difficult for me to write and it is also one of the less impressive parts of Ice Trails.

But don't worry, three or four more chapters before you see the next season of TRE (The Ripple effect). So I can both get back into that series (after how many months? XD) and to give myself a break from TOI…

But anyway…

PHRASES OF AWESOME!

1: 'Spiderman! Look out, it's rolled up newspaper man!'

2: 'I had absolutely no idea that it was impossible when I did it...'

3: 'Isn't it nice watching the royal family wave from the balcony, from the sights of my AK-47...'

(Okay, that one is going to piss some people off. XD)

Tell me your favourite. :) If you want to of course…

Also:

RANT TIME!

(spoilers)

I know that I am horribly late to the scene of Makarov's 'death'. First off, until this arc ends I am not going to get my hopes up for him staying dead… secondly, why did he have to die to fodder of all things, no matter the number Makarov is way more powerful than Juvia or Gajeel so why do they live against stupid odds and he dies to stupid reasons?

Whats next? Gildarts dying to a random civilian?

This and many other reasons 9this arc in general) is why I have lost all respect for Mashima as a story writer… (although I bet the trolls are happy i'd bet.)

But at least he didn't make Natsu one-shot Gray… I feel like the only person who thinks that the battle (if uninterrupted) can go either way. I mean Gray and Natsu are equals… And as much as I like to think that Gray should win It wouldn't make for a good story plot in the end.

Don't get me wrong, if you look at it critically and objectively, Gray has more advantages than Natsu but Natsu holds a massive advantage in magical power and Close quarters combat…

It can go either way as I said…

Rant time over…

Thanks for reading this, I am sorry that this took a long time to get out again… But I am going to stop apologising from now on, what's the point in doing so if I don't do something about it?

Stay cool,

-Viperhat


	21. Ice Trials: Eight

So…

Donald 'Satsuma face' Rump Or Hitlery Clit? Pick your poison and swallow it whole…

Either way, America is fucking dead… XD

'The Divided States Of America', hmmm, not as much of a ring to it than before….

(Controversy alert)

LETS READ!

:::-((x))-:::

Vali let out an uncomfortable groan as he shifted closer to the window only to have the space greedily swallowed up by the arguably psychotic thief from earlier. Said thief wouldn't stop staring at him with an impossibly large grin, it was almost like he was trying to reach into his very being and make it squirm from the inside…

Well, if that was the case, it was working…

"Can you back up?!" Vali glared at the thief with an annoyed frown… "And for the love of everything that's holy, wipe that bloody dumb grin off of your face before I give you a smelly face mask!"

The thief didn't move or reply… But his eyes brought forth some emotion, Vali was able to then see the effects the emotion had on his features.

It looked to be self-righteous anger of some sort, although he couldn't tell for sure.

' _Yay, an arrogant dumb-head'_ The Earth Mage ended up just shifting his gaze towards the window in an attempt to forget that he was having his personal space invaded. Although it was very difficult to even forget a single moment.

Hell, the only reason he wasn't doing anything about the bastard was because he was also having the same effect on Gray, who looked like he was trying so hard to keep his composure together. But it was very easy to see the signs of stress and annoyance drift over his face now and then.

"So..." Vali pulled his legs up and onto the seat before turning to look at the others. "How long do you think this train ride is going to be?"

:::-((x))-:::

"Not too long apparently..."

A low sigh left Grays lips, despite only knowing Vali for barely a day he could instantly tell when he was going to make a comment. Whilst he was aloof and eccentric he was strangely predictable for the most part.

It was a shame that he was only predictable with his humour, because it was bad…. REALLY bad… Like the kind of bad that made life seem overrated. But there was nothing he could do about it, Vali seemed to be unaffected by anything kind of action or threat that was made to him. The same immunity to embarrassment didn't seem to work for him when someone intruded on his personal space though.

In fact, despite the one rhetorical question he asked, Vali had been almost quiet and slightly subdued during the ride when the thief (who they'd found found out was named Doranbo) continued to sit and continuously grin at him for the entire ride.

So when the train unexpectedly had an engine failure, Vali was the first to get up instantly, saying he was going to head over to the conductors cart and ask what was wrong. He came back a few minute later before giving them his verdict and the rest was history.

But something was definitely up with him…

But what?

"I guess we'll just have to be patient and wait for them to fix the engine..." Pause said, nervously looking at the three boys with him, Doranbo was practically touching shoulders with Gray, who didn't look to pleased with the action whilst Vali smirked and mocked the two, however he made sure to sit on the end next to him so Doranbo couldn't reach him.

Slightly odd, but then again Pause had an uncontrollable rage so he couldn't talk… He looked back down at his book when he realised that they were too occupied with messing around, forgetting about Vali's oddity.

Vali was right though, the train ride was going to be long at this rate…

:::-((x))-:::

The loud and sharp 'POP' forcefully snapped Vali and Gray out of their slumber and sent the latter onto the floor with a 'thud'. Even Pause had looked up to see what had caused such a disturbance and only found the barely restrained face of Doranbo staring off into space as he tried to keep his laughter to himself.

Such a terrifying vengeance indeed….

Of course this didn't sit too well with Gray, who looked up the instant he had hit the floor before snapping upright and sending a firm uppercut to Doranbo's chin.

"I've had enough of your shit!" He glared at the prone of the thief before sitting back down, turning to look out into the forest that seemed to have no end beyond the tree-line.

"Ssshhhiiisssshhhiiiisshhiiisssshhhhiiii, looks like you are ge- WAH!" Unfortunately for Doranbo, Vali wanted to get his revenge too, if the sudden fist shaped, thick column of Earth that had made a hole in the ground, striking at his crown jewels wasn't enough to convey that message then the follow up roundhouse kick to the face from him certainly did.

"Next time you do that i'll make the punishment worse for you..." With that said, Vali threw one of his arms down, dispelling the earth and flopped back into his seat before moodily summoning his pouched Earth, staring at the inter-weaving shapes and formations he made in his own boredom and inflicted bad mood.

"Looks like we shall have to find another carriage again..." Pause sighed.

However, a few minutes after the events the conductor of the train had finally managed to get the train going again, the miasma of of relived cheers and the occasional 'hurrah's floated around the halls for a few seconds before dissipating, giving way for the sounds of the train starting up once again.

"About time!" Gray exclaimed, realising that the train had started moving again. "Hopefully, we don't run into any more problems!"

:::-((x))-:::

"You are the problem Dory… you are the problem…" Vali's sarcastic reply to the thief's question may have been quiet (for once), but it was quiet enough to make him listen. "That onsie for example, totally out of fashion."

"Are you getting frustrated by my amazing presence?" Doranbo wasn't helping his situation either, as usual. But the underlying foreign emotion dwelling in his mischievous words were becoming clearer as Vali continued speaking.

"I just can't imagine how people put up with you..." The innocent statement held the most sinister intentions that Vali had ever had to use, however only Doranbo was able to pick up on it… It was directed towards him.

And he had an idea of what he was implying…

' _Coming from him, that means nothing...'_ Gray just sat back and watched the interaction between the two. It had sparked his interest when Vali seemed to easily worm his way under the thief's skin and make him squirm. It was almost like he knew exactly what he was doing as he continued to reply to Doranbo's responses and question him at random intervals.

The clear result was becoming more and more obvious as Doranbo had started answering question with a little waver in his replies, that soon became a slight whimper. Now he was stuttering and struggling to give a coherent reply. All the way through the event, Vali had remained calm and collected, not even breaking a sweat when the thief began to visibly sweat from his piercing gaze.

However, the comments on the side that seemed to be done in a comedic or joking manner were seemingly more effective on him than the actual questions and comments that were more serious.

"I mean, after-all you seem to be the self-righteous yet weak-willed type… I bet you once had people eating out of the palm of your hand, then something happened, you shit your big girls trousers and then lost the respect from those you had under you..."

Vali finished, leaning back into his seat and keeping his gaze locked onto Doranbo's shaking and quivering mess of a frame…

"N-No! I have m-many people who shall forever bow to my godly bidding! I'm no coward!"

"I never mentioned anything about being cowardly..."

"I… I… I-It sounded like you were implying such a ridiculous idea!"

"You would have only reached that conclusion if you had something to hide In the first place..."

"What? Never!" He was almost shouting by now, Pause had his book down and watched on in confusion, seemingly hyper-aware of the building tension in the carriage. He looked over to Gray but saw him looking just as confused as he was, but without the knowledge of the tension.

Vali grinned, but it wasn't his usual lazy grin. This one was knowing, devious, almost unnaturally cunning and snakelike. A complete contrast to his usual lazy and comedic nature.

"Why are you getting so worked up?"

This sent alarm bells off in Gray's head. He didn't outwardly react but he was watching the interaction with interest, but that one innocent question from the Earth Mage sent chills up his spine.

Vali was obviously more complex than just the lazy jokester with a knack for acrobatics and fighting. He would be a dangerous foe to fight against, he seemed to really know how to bring people to their knees with just his words alone, his fighting prowess he'd been able to see was clear too.

For once, Gray was actually glad that he had made a good first impression on the guy instead of just telling him to piss off. But along with the newfound acknowledgement of Vali's capabilities (which there may be more of, he didn't know), he found himself respecting the guy too.

That realisation, that one moment of revelation (no matter how big or small) was enough for the Devil Slayer to let him continue to break Doranbo down. No matter how horrible it seemed, it also looked to be helping the thief.

In fact, Doranbo had given up trying to keep whatever secrets he had locked away in his mind and laid them bare for the others to gaze upon. All of his conquests, his failures and his one moment of pure betrayal. He laid them out and didn't regret it once Vali seemed satisfied.

"Are you happy now?" Doranbo asked, his shaking waning to mere small quivers as he looked into the eyes of Vali. "My entire story has been revealed, just stop with the weird games!"

Moments of silence felt like years before anything had happened…

But then Vali laughed, not in a malicious way but in his usual snickers producing the singular toned cacophony that bounced off of the enclosed walls and ended with a cheeky grin.

"Yeah, I'm sure that's enough poking and prodding. Just don't get up in my personal space next time and you'll be fine."

"Why do you hate that?" Doranbo couldn't help but ask. Forgetting about his sweet, sweet vengence.

"Meh, it just makes me uncomfortable. But Gray likes it though."

' _Oh, he didn't!'_ Gray's eye snapped open in shock and was barely able to register the butting of his shoulder with Doranbo's as he began to stare at him with a newfound determination.

"You will not get away from your rightful and surely horrifying punishment!" He declared loudly, causing Grays ears to ring as he attempted to crush him against the wall, all whilst sporting the maniacal grin once more.

Then Gray came to an epiphany...

Strong or not, he was going to kill Vali for this…

:::-((x))-:::

(1 hour later)

As the train pulled into the station and stopped with a screech, the train doors opened and allowed the passengers off of the train to move on to their predetermined destinations. Some were leaving their homes for a quick vacation, others were going to work and a few were stopping by to visit friends and/or family.

It also allowed Gray and his three followers off too… But of course this was going to be the terminus for most of them, specifically Vali and Gray.

It had just hit noon and the sky was starting to redden, during the slow process it had gained a lovely merge between the thick red that was giving way to the dark blue, below the red it had lightened into orange which finally had a small pinch of yellow where the sun just barely influenced the horizon…

It was like a twilight rainbow of some sorts.

The multitude of colours gave the marble white city a holy glow, as if it had the power to ward away any negativity in ones life or past.

This was what the four kids were privy too as they exited the station…

"What a marvellous view!" Pause gasped, looking up and into the sky as he followed the group down the street next to a clear blue river. Of course no one responded to his awe but they couldn't disagree.

It was almost like this place was a mortals heaven…

"It's certainly more interesting than the North's afternoon..." Vali gave the sky a critical overview, as if trying to burn the image into his memory. "Can't complain though, it's a nice change of scenery."

"Sssshhhiiiiissshhhhiiiishhiishisshhii…" Doranbo laughed at the Earth Mage's admittance, but his fear from earlier came back when he saw the warning glimmer in Vali's eyes through his thick hair. "I mean, uuhhh, I said nothing!"

"Of course you did." With a snicker, Vali turned back to concentrating on the road. But soon enough he looked over to Gray, realising that he had been quiet since they'd arrived. "Come on now Gray, give us your 'expert' opinion on this."

"I am here in Magnolia, that's all I care about, the view doesn't bother me." The Devil Slayer didn't even look back as he focussed on his surroundings. "Fairy Tail must be close by now."

Vali frowned…

"You know. If you continue to just block us out you are not going to make any friends in fact- it's a wonder that I am more than tolerant of you."

"I didn't ask you to be." He growled in response…

No one in the group saw Pause' expression darken at the mention of Fairy Tail...

"I see..." After a moment, Vali began to frown more, his forehead creasing as if he was considering something before shaking his head and focusing on the road again.

But with ever remark Gray continued to make or ignore, Vali was taking it all in his mind, readying it for the future. It was clear that Gray had plenty of issues that needed to be dealt with and if he didn't put them behind him soon, he would be consumed by darkness.

For as much as the Earth Mage was carefree, he wasn't blind, neither did he have no experience with personal problems before- in fact; he knew what he knew purely because of his experience's.

But before he or anyone could get a word in another voice cut through the conversation like a hot knife cutting through butter.

"You should all quits if ya' know what's good for yas."

Startled by the sudden verbal intrusion, Gray jumped and let out a little yelp before turning to glare at whoever made him look stupid. He could hear Vali's loud snickers from behind his hands.

Ass hole's…

"What did you say?..." Gray grunted, still annoyed about the embarrassment he had to endure a few moments before.

"I said, stay away from them kinda guys… Things there ain't exactly on the up' n' up ya' know?" The man replied, his heavy western accent lacing his tongue as he spoke.

This steamed up Gray's anger once more, both from the earlier embarrassment and from the shit-talking of the guild he'd travelled over half of the country to get to… he wasn't about to be told that it was a waste of time!

Growling and red in the face from his anger, Gray made the jump for the man.

Only too be slammed into the ground by a huge Earthen fly swatter courtesy of Vali…

"Sorry about this guy, he isn't all laughs and smiles you know?" Vali scratched the back of his head as he tried to stop the man from getting annoyed too. "You see, we were told by this guy called Gildarts about Fairy tail, or at least I was. Do you know him?" He asked.

' _Please don't kill us, please don't kill us, please don't kill us…'_

After his question left his lips, silence took over for the second time that day Vali couldn't tell what was going through the guys head but he was ready, after all if someone looks like a cheap knock-off of Elvis then they should always be treated with caution.

Of course he was proven to be correct when the guy burst out into loud fits of laughter…

"I see! That old coot gave you guys the rundown huh!?" He gasped out between his bouts of laughter. Soon enough he ran out of juice, but he left the two boys thoroughly disturbed and questioning his mental state.

"Hey, sorry 'bout earlier, I take back all the crap I just said." He got up from his seat after chugging down his beverage. Even in his drunken state he noticed the thief in the onsie return without the white haired kid.

So did Gray…

"Where the hell did you go!?" Doranbo jumped at the sudden volume but looked over at him. "And where's Pause?"

"Pause…" Doranbo started, pausing to find the right words to describe the situation. "I think he ain't coming' back."

"And why on Earthyland would you say that now?" Vali inquired, confused. "Why would he just up and leave, I mean I understand that we were all travelling to Magnolia but to just leave us without a goodbye seems kind of weird to me."

"Who cares?" Gray wasn't in the mood for this. "If he wants to go then let him, I have more important things to do." Then he placed a hand on his chin. "Although he doesn't seem like the kind of guy to just abandon us."

"Glad you still have 20/20 vision in the head Eye-patch." Vali smirked.

"Fuck you Earthworm..."

"I'd rather not."

The Elvis impersonator sighed before walking off… Maybe he'd see them in Fairy tail in a few days, weeks whenever, maybe he wouldn't. But he had more pressing issues to attend to.

:::-((x))-:::

"How did you both convince me into doing this?"

"Because; you just love me! Obviously..."

"I wouldn't piss on you even if you were on fire!"

"Charming notion indeed..."

"I'll break you!"

"Temper temper."

A yell of rage pervaded around the empty streets of magnolia as Gray leapt for the giggling Vali who was in one of his annoying moods again. But as soon as Gray got close enough the Earth Mage simply side-stepped and laughed as he hit the ground face first.

"You missed..."

Doranbo sweat-dropped at the scene, these two should NEVER be left in a room together for more than two minutes at a time.

"I think that we should be searching for pause, Let's continue on our quest!… Please." He added the last bit on just in case he annoyed Vali… he really scared him.

"We have been Dory..." Doranbo twitched at the nickname. "We've searched high and low, but there is just no sign of him, maybe he left for good."

Then Vali was suddenly tackled by the still angry Devil Slayer…

"Taste the dirt asshole!" Gray rubbed the Earth Mage's head into the stony ground with glee…

Only to get a pair of legs wrap around his neck and force him to the ground back first. Vali twisted his body around before releasing his grip on Gray, pushing himself up and looking over to Doranbo he shrugged and moved away from Gray before he could retaliate…

"Well, maybe we should search the stre- AH!" Doranbo yelped when he was suddenly lifted from the ground, looking around he was trapped within a small bubble that encased him, he tried to pop it but he couldn't it was obviously magical by nature.

"What the hell!?" He looked back to see Vali and Gray also ensnared within the same prison he was stuck in. Gray seemed surprised yet as soon as he got his bearings he was banging away on the seemingly impenetrable wall.

Vali was looking around, He didn't expect something like this, who would have? They were just fucking walking around! Good first impressions overall for Magnolia…

Gray however spotted the Elvis impersonator from earlier also trapped in one of the bubbles.

"How did you get caught in this!?" He heard Vali yell. The man smashed his fist against the wall, of course it proved to be useless.

"My name is Wakaba kid!" 'Wakaba' shouted indignantly.

"I guess not being referred by your 'proper' pronoun is starting to agitate you." Vali quipped before smirking despite the situation. "Am I internalising your oppression? I am so sorry…"

"How about focusing on those guys over there!?" Wakaba pointed behind him, causing the boys to set their sights on the three figures just beyond their prisons.

One donned a black cloak, his clothing almost all black too, except for his white shirt beneath the hood. He seemed to be the leader and he was cackling with malicious glee.

The other two were pretty much just weird, one was wearing a ridiculously huge dome with patterns around it that covered everything except for his feet, which were tightly done up in leather boots. The second was covered in bubbles similar to the ones they were trapped in. other than that he wore a massive top with a hole through the middle for his face to poke out from and he topped off the look with black trousers and boots…

The entire team looked absolutely dumb…

However, they soon got bored…

"My my, I think we need some good entertainment, light the old man up boys..." Said the one in the middle. But the voice was just too similar, Gray couldn't put his finger on it.

Something was up.

Suddenly the balloon mage pulled out a tiny pin out of nowhere and flicked it at Wakaba's 'balloon'. The pin whizzed through the air and reached Wakaba's balloon before piercing the outer shell…

The resulting explosion left Doranbo shaken- whilst Vali and Gray looked on in shock. The explosion shook the ground and even made the balloons above shake with a force that seemed impossible.

"What did you stains do!?" The Earth Mage yelled.

Wakaba's unconscious body fell to the ground, thin plumes of smoke rising from his form as the mage responsible cackled madly with unhidden glee.

"GYAAA!" He began jumping up and down as if he was standing on white hot plates. "Jackpot! We have a winner!"

"What should we do about those kids?" He asked, but he didn't seem to need an answer as seconds later he snapped his fingers like a light bulb had suddenly shone in his head. "Put them out of their misery of course!"

Then he was thoroughly rebuked by the cloaked assailant which caused the manic Balloon Mage to sulk and drag his feet along the ground.

But that _voice…_

Then it clicked in Grays head…

"Pause!" He yelled, catching Vali's attention at the sound of their missing followers name. "I know that's you, your voice is way too similar! What the hell are you doing!?"

The cloaked mage stopped dead in his tracks…

He then turned back to face the Balloon Mage.

"Seems like they have figured it out..." He paused, as if planning his next move carefully. "It seems like you can 'put them out of their misery' after all. They cannot be allowed to live after having seen me-…"

He then said the two words that set Gray and Vali's fate forever…

"Do it..."

The Balloons detonated as the three pins pierced each of the outer shells…

And Gray, Vali and Dorabo screamed…

:::-((x))-:::

Funny thing, this chapters length is 3,999 words. One bastard word away from my usual quota. Motherfucker. XD

Anyway, I apologise for the shorter chapter length in this today, the 'closer' chapter from canon really has nothing but meeting Wakaba and finding out Pause' secret affiliation to a dark guild…

That is pretty much it, so I tried to pretty up the scenes beforehand, you know some bickering between Gray and Vali, Doranbo's hesitant insistence on staying on track, some description of the area of Magnolia…

Which I may have played up a bit too much…

I can't really do much with Wakaba either as we simply don't get enough screen time with him to make much of a characterization of him.

Still has more character than Juvia though…

But I hope to fix this problem in later chapters… Much, much later chapters…

Anyway-…

PHRASES OF AWESOME!

(Presidential election edition)

1: 'Hillary X Trump a new moon: Chapter one.'

2: 'I guess you could say… that Trump grabbed America by the pussy.'

3: 'They still haven't arrested George Soros yet?'

Ahhhhhh, controversy… The plain of existence where the best jokes can be made to piss off the masses. XD

Anyway, thanks for reading this I know this story hasn't really picked up yet, things have been pretty slow and somewhat dull, but when I start doing the 'Fairy tail Arc' I hope I can begin to really have this story get really fun to read in no time!

Hopefully…

Reviews and criticism are greatly appreciated but not entirely necessary. Thank you. :)

So thanks for reading and stay cool…

-Viperhat


	22. Ice Trials: Nine

(sorry for the late upload, I have been overworked and stressed out the past month or so… So I hope when this comes out I haven't pissed you all off TOO much, anyway, I order you to enjoy this new chapter of willy ass crack.)

Hey, Fidel Castro is dead… And people are praising him…

This is why we can't have nice things…

Anyway, pissing off millennials aside, welcome back to this very slow and very bad story. XD If you like this, well thank you but I am not too sure how you do like it, I have butchered parts of it horrifically.

But you are not here to read this shitty opening sequence are you? Get reading ye' bastards! : D

Oh and this may be the last chapter for this arc. TRE S2 is pretty much around the corner. :)

:::-((x))-:::

It wasn't like he had no idea of the time when he awoke, it was more like he had a gap of time that was currently unknown by himself which led to the most certainly far-fetched conclusion that he had no idea of the time…

Totally not the same thing…

However, as Gray opened his eye to the harsh, intense blanket of light it was the second thing on his mind, just below 'How the hell did I end up here?' train of thought. All he remembered was being confined to a balloon prison, being given a front row seat to the beating of that Wakaba guy from Fairy Tail and finding out Pause' identity as a dark guild member…

Then an explosion, absolutely nothing else from that point onward…

His racked his brain, trying to remember after that, but a sigh dragged his attention toward the source like a moth to a flame…

The source of the sound unmistakeable, Long hair covering almost the entire face, a skin tight black vest, the taller frame than his own. Vali was in the bed next to him which made him pause to think for a second before trying to interact.

If he was in a white room with a white bed that had an annoyingly bright light that he'd like to freeze over, with another bed next to him (maybe on his other side to) then that could only leave two options.

1: He was in a hospital…

Or…

2: He was in a hospital…

Both were equally unnerving in his book.

"This place is shit, just saying..." Vali's voice cut through the air, startling Gray out of his skin and almost off of the bed, it was almost amusing if it hadn't been him that had been affected by the cause of his reaction.

Vali really needed to stop being a dick…

Of course, the soft snickers that floated around the room seconds after his little moment gave him the knowledge of Vali's mirth at his expense.

He'd pay…

"I'd see you next fall, but by that look on your face I wouldn't live long enough to follow through with that." That damn smirk found its way onto the Earth Mages face when Gray stayed silent, looking like a red tomato at being caught out…

But Vali shouldn't be smiling at the thought of his painful and quick demise…

"Or maybe you have that face because you wouldn't do it…."

' _Oh I would make an exception for you Dirt head.'_

"But instead of planning my death could you wake up Dory dor over there? I can't be bothered." Vali asked, lifting his finger to the other side of the room. Where Gray found Doranbo's bed, the thief was still asleep, his head lightly bandaged around the forehead and near the chin. But other than that, he looked perfectly fine.

Those balloons sucked…

Like, really sucked…

Gray really didn't feel like making the effort to wake the thief up peacefully, Vali's words left him feeling annoyed with life once again and he needed to take it out some poor soul…

The urge to cause some bother to Doranbo begun to grow with the thought of unleashing some of his annoyance and soon enough Gray happily gave in to the overwhelming temptation.

"Ice-Make: Mallet!"

:::-((x))-:::

"Ok, first off I have a question." Vali hopped up onto table where Gray and Doranbo were sitting at. The three had left the hospital after one of the doctors kicked them out for the disturbance. Doranbo was rubbing his face and glaring at the smirking Gray as Vali continued to speak.

But now they found themselves outside, with the night close to taking over the twilight and with only their magic (or potions in Doranbos case) to protect them if they got attacked again…

"What do we know about Pause?"

The question gave way to silence, a silence that was left untouched for ten seconds as the two mages tried to think about Pause and anything to do with him…

Thinking appeared to be too painful for the both of them…

"Great, so we know absolutely nothing about him besides a few magic spells he is capable of?"

"Obviously..." Gray's growling reply cut through the air. He had no clue why Vali was even asking such a stupid question. "Now can we get going? We need to find Pause and that Fairy tail guy, whatever his name is…."

Just as he got up to walk off, Doranbo spoke up for the first time since he'd awoke.

"And just what is your plan?"

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"Uhh, beat the shit out of those bastards who blew us up? Interrogate pause and get that Fairy tail guy-"

"Wakaba." Sighed Vali, his face and hand becoming great friends.

"Yeah whatever, and get Wakaba out of wherever they have him held up.?"

"And how do you go about doing that?" Vali leaped off of the table and onto the ground below, closing the distance between Him and the Devil Slayer slightly.

"I- I….. uhhh..." Gray could feel a thick bead of sweat form on his forehead…. He hadn't taken that into consideration. "Shit…."

His ears perked up when he heard Doranbo snicker gleefully…

"Between us three, I thought this might happen. So I came up with a little idea whilst you two were arguing on the way out of the hospital..."

"I still won that." Vali chirped sweetly. Blissfully ignoring Gray clenched teeth bared at himself.

"Anyway..." He carried on, ignoring the two of them. "I remembered watching Pause make some origami of a dog from one of the pages from his book. I watched him do it and then make it move around him and that got me thinking."

He paused to take a breath.

"I thought that if I swiped one of the pages from his book and made a dog the same way he did it then it could possibly lead us all the way to him, and by extension that guild guy." He finished proudly, feeling like a genius for such a great plan.

Vali snorted. "In other words, you stole a page from his book."

"Fucking kleptomaniac..." Gray muttered…

Those words had pretty much decimated his happy thoughts within an instant, these two were ass holes and just as bad as each other…

"Ngh! Brats." He fought to keep his anger in check, he didn't want another case of the Vali verbal surgery after all.

"Just pay close attention..."

:::-((x))-:::

"That's what we get for paying 'close attention'..."

"Shut it Vali." Gray smacked him around the head, glaring even after letting his arm fall to his side again.

When the dog had finally stopped Vali hadn't spoken up, the Earth Mage clearly wanted to though. No-one could blame him as the paper dog went around the entire West side of Magnolia, going through alleyways, huge streets and even onto a roof at one point and that was BEFORE Vali had found out that the dog responds to Pause' name.

Then the dog stopped at a random alleyway before it just flopped to the floor lifelessly…

"Ok?" Gray watched Vali pick the lifeless paper up from the ground, staring at it in confusion, almost like he was trying to force it to revive itself if the frustrated expression on his face was anything to go by. "Now why don't you work?"

' _And now he's talking to the paper dog, marvellous...'_ There were many times when gray had wanted to hit Vali, within the two days he had got to know him in, he had found out that he was a very difficult person to like…

But this was taking the piss.

"Vali, you are starting to-"

"REALLY PISS ME OFF!"

Gray's insult was cut off by the sudden loud scream that had emanated from an area near the three kids, causing them all to go silent.

"Did you two jus-"

"SHHHHH!" Gray shushed Doranbo, glaring at him like he was committing a horrible crime. "That was near us and I don't want to lose them and spend the rest of my life wondering through the streets just because you have no tone control!" He hissed his rebuttal before going back to listening…

"Then look down." Vali whispered, snickering a little as he did so. Gray followed where his companions hand was pointing and his eye located a small rectangular glass window just a few inches away from his feet.

How the hell did he miss that?" Was he blind or something/

Oh wait… He kind of was… Somewhat…

"Are you alright Grumpy bollocks?"

"Yeah." Gray shook his head. Trying to forget his complete blunder.

"Well, lets all get on our knees have a peek inside the small hole and get our reward then!" The chirpy voice coming from Vali and the less than innocent implication made Gray to punch him again, but he was already on his knees and looking through the window so Gray and followed his example, Doranbo doing the same seconds later.

The view inside was very revealing…

The window appeared to be in the far corner on the room, no-one seemed to give much attention to it as the residence inside continued to drink, smoke and play games. The subdued nature of the people within and their gritty and less than friendly faces made the place look very uninviting.

The classic henchman room for henchmen…

There was a very big bar, two people behind it who were wearing two stupid outfits that were the opposite colour to the other. One was black the other being white.

The big poker table near the end of the room was almost vacant, but one guy was there, fiddling around with the stack of cards and looking around the room with a vacant gaze as if he was a robot. He wore the standard attire you'd expect a casino employee to wear. A white dress shirt with a suit vest over it along with black trousers and winkle picker shoes.

And finally, there was a portion of the room where only one person lay, tied up and completely beaten up.

"Hang on, I'd recognize that shitty hair from a mile away." Vali gazed at the man in chains. His eyes widening the longer he stared, like he was finally slotting the last few pieces of a mental jigsaw together.

"It's the Elvis impersonator!"

The nickname Vali had made for the guy instantly struck Gray, twisting his head to look at him and nod in irritation though, he knew from the first sight of the hair style…

"Why is he here? Didn't they blow him up?" Doranbo whimpered, trying to keep his voice down in fear of alerting the threatening group inside.

"Maybe they have something else planned for him." The Earth Mage spoke forlornly. "It wouldn't be surprising for people like this."

"How observant…" Gray growled, getting up from the ground. "They didn't kill him. Hmm, maybe they have another idea for him! Well spotted Vali, well spotted indeed."

The deadpan look he got wasn't worth getting angry, especially for no reason…

"The sarcasm is strong with this one..." Vali flipped him off, getting himself up from the ground to look down on Gray. "At least my amazing personality traits are starting to rub off on you."

The steam from the Devil Slayers ears was almost too easy to see. So making the tactile decision to step in, Doranbo quickly brought their attention to himself.

"C-Can we just focus on getting that guy out of there?" He stuttered weakly, trying not to look at Gray's smouldering eye, he could almost imagine the other one turning demonic if it weren't for the eye-patch.

"How? We don't have much of a plan do we? Someone wanted to rush off to the hills and hope that there was no bloody challenge at all!" Vali quipped, giving Gray a glare, the Ice Mage glared back just as fiercely.

"Guys?"

Both heads whirled around, even Vali seemed slightly miffed.

"WHAT!?"

The smell of piss would have been easy to pick up on, but the strong smell just missed the nostrils of Vali and Gray. Doranbo wasn't so lucky though.

Gray looked up to see Doranbo fidget uncomfortably, seemingly unhappy with his life so far. After one particular flinch, a rattling sounded from within the thick clothing on the thief's person.

"The drug..." Was all Gray said. Staring at Doranbo like he held the answers to all of life's problems… "The ones you used to rob us."

Racking his brains, Doranbo tried to figure out what he meant by 'the drug'. Luckily, he caught on quickly, remembering the failed robbing and his first significant failure. As much as he hated to remember that he also remembered the drugs he used to make the robbery attempt…

"How many do you have left?" Vali quickly chimed in, his voice quizzical and hard. "Its obvious that we weren't your first victims. You must have used a portion of those drugs to score the amount you had."

"Allow me to see." Doranbo answered back, cutting off anything else either Gray or Vali were going to say, despite the impatience of Gray he waited still for the result of the thief's fumbling.

When he found what he was looking for, Doranbo whipped the pill bottle out from his onesie, grinning like an idiot. "This is it guys." He chirped, glee evident in his voice as he took the lid off.

His face dropped…

Vali was the first to catch on, leaning forward and looking into the bottle, only for his face too also drop in shock.

"What is it you two!?" Gray exclaimed. His patience wearing thinner with each second that passed by. If they didn't act soon enough then Wakaba was going to pay for their tardiness…

Doranbo tilted the pill bottle down for Gray to see, the Devil Slayers face went white…

Inside the white, sterilised pill bottle, in the corner at the bottom, only one pill remained…

:::-((x))-:::

"This is ridiculous..."

"You are ridiculous."

"I'm ridiculous? Look who's talking?!"

"You are, you ridiculous snowman."

"Stop saying ridiculous!"

"You started it..."

"I am ending it!"

"That's just ridiculous..."

' _thump'_

"Okay, i'll stop."

"Good..." Gray growled, his face resembling an angry red tomato as he removed his scathing glare away from the grinning Earth Mage, who was holding his nose and trying not to snicker at his companions anger issues… "Now what is the plan again?"

The three kids moved over to the front of the building, next to the entrance. Once the door was open it would be all out hell for the three of them. Before moving from the alleyway they Vali and Doranbo gave the pill too Gray, telling him that he would be the best suited to getting in and out with as much safety as possible.

"Okay, remember the plan Gray, in and out, no scenic detours or antics, just get in, nab Wakaba and if you can Pause too… I would love to give him a bit of a slap about."

"Get on with it Vali..." He hissed.

"Fine… Always ruining my fun. Anyway, once you get them or him, get out as fast as possible. Mission accomplished, then we can worry about Fairy tail." With that out of the way Vali went to the right of the door, ready for the sudden change in atmosphere.

Before Gray could bring the pill close to his mouth however, a hand jutted out of nowhere to stop him. Turning around quickly, he saw Doranbo behind him, looking at him with a serious expression on his face.

"That's was my last pill Gray, so make good use of it. Remember you have 30 seconds to do what you need to do. After that its up to chance. Got it?" He stared him down, for once not looking like a self righteous punk.

' _30 seconds… That's all I will need.'_ "Got it…" He nodded, watching Doranbo nod back before moving next to the entrances left. Even if he had no magic, he had been helpful for the most part, maybe he'd surprise him again.

"Okay guys… Here I go!" Opening his mouth, Gray chucked the pill in and swallowed it whole. The pill awkwardly travelled down his throat and the taste left him wanting to gag, but he ended up stomaching it.

Almost a second later, everything went completely still, like time had been halted to a complete stand still around him. A quick glance showed him the two frozen figures of his companions, Vali stick his middle finger up at him and Doranbo looking nervous about the action.

"I'll sort you out..." Gray growled, sparing a second to walk up to Vali, before reeling his right foot back and launching it straight between his legs, hearing the satisfying crunching sound. "Lets see how you like that."

:::-((x))-:::

The inside was just as threatening as Gray expected it to be. Everyone had moved slightly to different areas and such, but other than that it was just like he saw it mere minutes ago.

"Wakaba." He looked around, searching the sea of bodies to locate the Elvis impersonator. "There you are." He grinned.

Picking up his speed, Gray avoided the solid figures, making his way over to Wakaba in mere seconds.

"Hang on you old git, I'm here to get you out." He spoke, quickly constructing an icy knife to cut the thick rope tying the old man up before effortlessly dragging him across the floor. Making good distance in a short space of time…

Then his eye caught something…

It was faint at first and he had no clue on how he had missed it before, but a flash of white hair was all it took for him to see the thick rimmed glasses on the face of Pause Lightless. He looked beaten and bruised, even more so than Wakaba did, blood was slightly visible near his mouth and cheek and he had particularly nasty cut and bruise on his nose, which was possibly broken…

"Pause..." He whispered, shock almost making its way into his voice.

It was almost just as soon as his lips uttered his name, that the worst thing in this situation happened… People started making signs of motion, walking, noises and the winds blowing were just a few warning signs...

But now he knew…

That his pill had run out…

"Shit." Was all he said before he was instantly spotted.

"Hey, you! Brat, how the hell did you make it in here!?" One of the men said, looking at him threateningly, or so he thought…

"None of your business ass hole." He retorted back, unafraid of such a weak attempt at intimidation.

The man just laughed, as did most of the others in the room…

"Oh, so you've got a mouth on you huh? Well, we'll make sure to sort that out!" The man shouted before making a sprint for the Devil Slayer.

Gray forced himself to dive out of the way just as the man went to jump on him. Lashing out with his magic, he struck him and some of the men behind the man which sent them tumbling to the ground like rag-dolls.

"If you want a fight that badly, then bring it!" He yelled, anger beginning to cloud his vision whilst adrenaline started to set in. He turned to face a group of four stalking towards him, angry expressions on their faces. "Ice-Make: Freeze arrow!"

Within seconds, he had a beautifully crafted bow in his hands as he fired its magical arrow into the nearest guys chest. In impact the arrow exploded into a huge chunk of heavy ice, not only knocking the first guy down, but the rest of the group to follow…

"This is getting easier and easi- OOF!"

Just as he went to finish the sentence, out of nowhere a fist rocketed into Gray, taking full advantage of his blind spot before forcing him to barrel into three tables and land on the ground. He coughed, having the wind knocked out of him as he stood up, instantly bringing his hands up to block the next punch from the same fist, growling, he froze the offending limb before sticking it to the nearby wall with his Devil Ice…

It was then he saw the attacker…

"Hey, I remember that brat from earlier!" Cried the Balloon Mage. His devious grin never leaving his face, despite the outrage his voice held. "Its the one that little pussy over there got medical attention for!"

' _Pause…? He did that? Why?!"_

That information was enough to shock Gray stiff… He never expected pause too do that for him, or the others. He was in a dark guild, why would he help the good guy?!

Unless, he was a good guy too… Just in the wrong place…

Unfortunately, He never saw the other fist from the other mage from earlier. The punch slammed straight into his face, knocking him up into the air and disorientating him until he hit the ground again with a hard thump.

This was not going well at all…

Why was he unable to fight back?! He had managed to take on the most dangerous criminal in the north!, He had taken out a giant with just a few attacks! He had taken on Deliora and almost won!

As his brain tried to think of a reason for his lack of power, a wave of tiredness suddenly washed over him like a tidal wave, his eye widened from the sudden sensation.

Then that was when it hit him. His magic was almost depleted, the events over the last week had taken a great toll on his magic and body, he felt tired more often, his magic was barely managing to one up simple people with weapons and a bit of weak magic.

He hadn't been taking care of himself, he was too damn young to be exerting himself this much, yet here he was, just throwing his magic and strength about like he had an endless amount of it stored up inside of him!

He was an idiot… And soon, he'd be a dead idiot…

"Master!" Shouted the Balloon Mage, glee now evident in his voice.

Gray hesitantly looked over, wince as he finally felt his fatigue take effect on his body. What he saw only made the situation worse… The guy everyone here seemed to call 'master' walked closer to him. His outfit was very odd, consisting of an eggplant shaped suit with ridiculously huge shoulder sleeves and black leather elbow length gloves. His shoes were simple spotted flippers, making him look like some sort of morbidly obese frog.

He wasn't all too pleasant to look at…

' _Vali and Doranbo better hurry up!'_ For the first time in years, Gray felt a twinge of panic surge through him as the malicious man got closer to him.

"My my my..." He chuckled, his voice posh and deep. "Anyone acting on their own accord will face repercussions..." The insane mage continued to get closer.

That was then Pause started shifting, waking up slowly as he took in his surroundings.

"Gray?" He winced… "What are you doing here?" He asked weakly…

"Came to see your charming family… What do you think i'm here for you idiot!?" He whirled around, facing the battered boy with clenched teeth. Why did he come back here if these people did this to him?

That and many questions whizzed around in his head at what felt like the speed of sound. He tried to make sense of them, almost hurting himself mentally, but nothing logical could make its way up…

A glimmering shine then caught Gray's attention, it was coming from Pause…

He was tearing up…

"I'm so sorry Gray..." The whimpering lilted through the room, bouncing off of the walls and reverberating off from them, creating a cacophony of anger traced with utter sadness. Pause had lost any of his composure from the last time Gray had seen him and was now openly crying in front of everyone causing every member of the guild to look on in disgust, an observation Gray noticed…

"What?"

He didn't get an answer for a few moments, realising that what Pause was trying to say or emote must have been very hard for him to do.

"I-I..." The boy growled, his emotions starting to effect his motor skills as he tried to form a coherent sentence through his tears. "The reason I came here was to destroy Fairy Tail!"

If the sudden loudness didn't make the Devil Slayer jump then the revelation certainly did. Almost like he'd been electrocuted, he staggered backwards trying to keep his balance before going completely still, trying to take in what his friend had said.

It was almost like his blood had frozen, before it started to boil…

Clenching his fists, he turned and glared at the sadistically grinning man, The face heavily covered in make up gave him the look of a truly insane individual as he lowered his gaze to meet his own.

"You will suffer… I promise you that..." Was all he could think of to say, his vision slowly going red with hatred. He was angry, he was feeling hate, not the strongest hate he'd experience but enough to make him want to hurt the one responsible for the problem. How dare this sick fuck do this to a child, a child his age no less, the child had magic and that deserved no privileges, but to cause Pause harm and make him so distraught for his own disturbed goals made Gray truly realise one thing…

He wanted this man to feel pain, like his mind had thrown away all sense of rationality and thought and was now running on the pure unfiltered hatred he felt for this person, no monster…

All of this because he wanted Fairy Tail murdered too…

"It seems you have figured out who gave him the order..." The guild master chuckled, his voice taking a malicious edge as he dropped the humoured look and glared at Gray with as much malice as he could. "But since you now know of my face and goals, you cannot be allowed to leave alive, after all, I can't have you ruining my life goal..."

Gray, despite his anger could tell that what was going to happen next would be the defining moment for his life, like the stars had aligned for this one moment and had struck him with an invisible arrow that penetrated his emotional state. As he watched the guild master through extremely heated vision he could see the evil smile crawling onto his face like a bug onto his arm before he looked at Pause, who had got back some sense of composure but was still sniffling and scared stiff.

"Pause, you know that your masters orders are absolute yes?" He got a nod in response. "Then here is my next order for you… Kill that insolent little runt over there… Kill your little friend..."

:::-((x))-:::

"I am telling you, we need to move in _now_."

The tense atmosphere between the thief and mage had begun to fester into slow fear that ebbed its way into their hearts. Gray was nowhere to be seen, no Pause or weirdo Elvis impersonator in sight neither. To make matters worse, the doors had snapped shut as soon as Gray had took the pill and no matter what Vali or Doranbo did it wouldn't even so much as make a dent in the seemingly unbreakable door.

The worry for their grumpy companion and the lack of _anything_ was beginning to cause the frustration within Vali to grow, his hands were shaking as he threw his arms out to the sides of his body, lashing out at the door with another barrages of deadly sharp Earthen spikes, once again, barring no results for the trouble.

The worst thing for Doranbo though was that he knew that he could do absolutely nothing to help calm Vali down from his building anger, nor could he help Gray from inside, the only pill he had was gone, used up and now he didn't know if he had sent a kid to his death or if he had made it out some other way…

"Vali, calm it down!"

"It won't fucking open!"

"Well you aren't helping at all!"

"Well spotted Dory!" He whirled around, his red face contorted into an angry scowl that he hadn't ever been seen with by Doranbo. "Maybe you'll find out what we breath in next! Who knows huh!?" It was honestly quite terrifying, watching the normally humorously aloof Earth Mage become wrought with worry and turning that worry into anger…

Especially when that anger was directed at _him_...

"Maybe if you could calm down we could actually come up with a plan!?" He tried once again. Hopelessly reaching out to the now frenzy induced mage. Watching as he growled obscenities through his breath and took running kicks at the door…

"Every second we are out here, Gray could be in more danger! Do something!" He cried, giving up on the door to desperately glare at Doranbo, who glared back heatedly.

"Like what!?" "He yelled, he couldn't take it any more he could feel the magic around Vali engulf the surrounding area and himself, it felt like rolling waves of powerful emotions that seemed to not only smother him, but blind him to everything but Vali's expression…

He really did care for Gray, as much as he played things off…

"You expect me to know that?" The reply from Vali was just as he expected, unhelpful.

"Yes!"

"Well too bad then!"

"I have no magic Earth boy!" the rage had hit a peak for the thief as he exploded in front of Vali, making the earth mage reel back slightly from shock. "I can't do anything! We can't get in! We have no plan!"

That somehow stilled the raging fire inside the two. Everything felt lighter all of a sudden, but the forlorn reality still draped over them, stopping the two from forgetting the situation they faced…

It was clear that the door was guarded by some sort of magic. The fact that Vali, who had been able to smash other things much harder than the door, was unable to break was only proof of that.

There had to be something though…

Vali, wiped his forehead of sweat, the strain of his excessive use of magic beginning to take effect on him… The fatigue that set in really made him question his decision to bombard the door with offensive spells. But just as he looked up to gather another gulp of air he noticed a group of people disappear behind the building on the other side, confused, he went to investigate only to see a shadow move from the wall next to him… Frowning, he looked up and his eyes widened in shock to see another group of people move out of his sight on the roof of all places…

"Dory, hold on..." He muttered, the thief barely caught what he had said due to his low volume.

"Wait wha-ahhhhh!" Before he knew what was happening, he was being propelled into the air, Vali standing calmly on the other side of the platform that had started _elevating…_

 _Elevating…_

"What are you doing!?" He yelped, shock and slight fear taking the thief's voice for its own as he spoke. Just what was the psychotic Earthen asshole doing now?

"Taking a trip to the roof, what does it look like?"

If looks could kill… Vali would be dead right now… He just grinned lazily so at least he was normal once more...

However, just as soon as Doranbo was about to reply he stumbled to the ground, the platform had stopped abruptly and Vali gave no warning, the fact that he was smiling at him cheekily showed that it was intentional.

Then he turned his head around and the smile was replaced with shock…

Doranbo couldn't blame him…

What was in front of them was a huge group of weirdly dressed people, one with his hand blazing with purple flames and he looked at the two in apprehension. Another was floating slightly, looking surprised by their sudden visit.

Then there was one old man that stood out in the middle of the group, a small old man. The top of his head lacking any hair whilst the sides were still full of thick grey strands that stuck out in two styled directions. His facial hair styled too around his mouth and chin. Not once did he take his eyes off of the two, looking curious, but cautious…

Then Vali noticed the strange looking pattern on all of the members bodies, in various areas and colours.

That was when he was ready to fall over from the realisation as to whom he stood in the presence of…

"Vali… What is it?"

"..."

"Vali…?"

"It's Fairy tail..."

:::-((x))-:::

So this has taken me almost TWO MONTHS to get out… And the Fidel Castro meme at the top is most definitely out of date by now…

What a great staart to the new year huh? A dead meme and a shitty chapter… I am sorry for the quality of this chapter, but it was a build up chapter, an extremely BORING one at that though… No matter my talent I will struggle with this type of chapter.

So to make up here is the newest Hastag out their. XD

#JunkOutForJosephine

;;;w;;;

You will be missed…

To comment on recent chapter, I have been both disappointed and completely bored from then on. No battle has been good or tense, no real life is being taken away, and all that happened recently was the slow decline of Wendy.

Seriously, from saving that useless cunt Juvia to getting her body back from Irene!? Well, Mashima has officially destroyed Wendy for me… I do not like her character anymore because of how much he has fucked her up…

Mashima, just stop before you makes things worse than they are… You have turned my favourite anime into a guilty pleasure anime…

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Well thats it from me… see you next time, in a few years… Maybe… No definitely not. XD

One more chapter left until I take a break and we begin the 'Fairy Tail' arc.

Stay cool,

-Viperhat


	23. Ice Trials: Ten

I saw Split.. It wasn't all that bad. I nice day for my birthday of all days. X3

Thanks GF for the amazing day. 3

Anyway…

WELCOME BACK! This is the final chapter until I take a break from this and move onto TRE season 2. You can probably tell that my writing quality for this has been getting rather strained and difficult and my time between chapters is lengthening greatly.

So I am hoping that working on TRE will actually help me relax a little into writing again too. Its easier to write out and doesn't require such a drastic following of the storyline so I can make some shit up and run with it as I work it in nicely.

I shall say now, I AM NOT QUITTING THIS STORY! This is just going to be a little Hiatus whilst I work on another story so I am not bored out of my skull writing this. XD

Anyway, enjoy this final chapter of the 'Ice-Trial' arc.

LETS READ!

:::-((x))-:::

"No..."

Kafuchi's eyebrow twitched. "What was that dear?"

It was obvious that pause had heard his 'masters' question, but even so, with all the fear held within his heart he stood tall, his emotions seemingly getting the better of him as his stared defiantly into Kafuchi's sadistic and insane eyes.

"I said no!"

Whilst the stunning defiance took place, all Gray could do in his efforts to calm himself down was to focus on Kafuchi, the mental fruitcake had already set off every alarm he believed himself to have. Imposing posture, disturbed expressions, the slight glint of insanity behind his almost hyper-focussed eyes.

He held most psychotic traits seen in the over-dramatic plays seen in theatres…

Gray had seen MacBeth, he had also fought two mentally questionable criminals all before getting to this point in time. Kafuchi just felt like the last two idiots he had fought but more sadistic in nature.

But despite that, He could feel his magic groan inside. He was running very low on steam and another fight may just take it all out of him for the next few days, or weeks if it got bad enough.

He felt the inner battle take place in his head, the rational side cursing at the unfavourable odds whilst his raw anger at Kafuchi thrashed around inside the proverbial space. It was almost alien to Gray at how angry he was feeling, it was as if his magic and soul had taken a hold of his emotions and egged his mind on to get more angry and more distressed.

It felt as if it was tearing down his very being…

And as the insane criminal began to shout at the trembling Pause about how useless he was and how he would perish like his new friend would, Gray could feel the slight control he had left slip just a little more.

' _Just one more push you bastard...'_

"Now my dear Pause..." Kafuchi drawled, his mouth twisting into an unnaturally face splitting grin as he watched the boy flinch harshly at his mere voice. _'Pathetic little boy...'_

"Tell me, who would you like to see die first?" He walked over to where the unconscious form of Wakaba lay, bending down and firmly clutching a large handful of his hair before lifting him up with no effort at all. Looking back to Pause and only registering Gray's still body a few metres behind him.

"Would you like me to rip this vile little urchins head off slowly?" He made the point by yanking the man's head up forcefully. Or…" He paused, his grin splitting his face apart even further. "Would you like me to pull your new friends limbs off of his body?" He cackled madly at his young members sobs growing in volume.

"Your choice..."

He never got one…

He had been feeling generous with the boy, giving HIM the privilege of choosing who dies first was not one he bestowed upon many. But as Pause continued to weep at his treatment (or _Rightful_ Punishment) Kafuchi felt his generosity being spat right back at his face.

It was Insulting…

How dare this little twerp throw this treat away like some discarded tissue?! Who was he to revoke such actions with his pitiful weeping!?

"CHOOSE YOU BRAT!"

It was a loud, deep and booming screech, a sound so loud and powerful it brought his entire guild to their knees in sheer terror, the level of submission was amazing, beautiful and inspiring for more for Kafuchi.

But his feelings on the matter were suddenly interrupted as he felt a strong, cold and giant fist slam straight into his protected stomach, sending flying through the air and into a heap on the ground.

The sudden pain and fury combined snapped him straight up to glare murderously at the boy responsible. It was the friend of Pause; Gray- That brat had the gull to lay his hands on a higher being such as himself?

"You will pay for that you little shit!" He roared, standing to his full height once more before summoning his malevolent magic to his aid.

He got no response, just the same type of malevolent aura if not more darker from the boy than earlier. Much more darker, it was very thick and hard to breathe in for the dark mage.

What had changed in the boy to cause this level of anger and power? And more importantly, how could he rip it from the boys cold corpse?

No one got up to kill Gray, he understood, he didn't want them to anyway. Kafuchi had finally felt a magical presence more evil and darker than his own.

And he wanted it…

He wanted to kill the boy himself…

"Say your prayers little one, it may be the last thing you ever do."

But just as soon as he was about to attack the child another noise went off. It almost startled him as he didn't expect anyone to get involved with this.

But as he turned to look at whoever dared to interrupt him, he caught a glimpse at the balcony above. Where he spotted the huge number of figures staring down upon him and his guild.

And one man stood out from the rest of them. The one sort, grey haired man who looked at him with a cold and furious gaze…

Makarov Dreyer.

That could only mean one thing.

Fairy Tail had arrived…

:::-((x))-:::

An awkward silence ensued…

In fact for Vali, the scene was rather comedic, he would have laughed too if the situation wasn't so tense. But as he stared down at the very angry Gray he knew better. Somehow, he felt like the pressure inside the room was beginning to crush him, leaving him with an anxiety he couldn't seem to shake.

A quick flash of Gray's eye gave him the confirmation that he had seen him. But the slight surprise was obviously there because he was with the people they had all been looking for, for some time.

Vali merely grinned…

"Hello Gray!" He chirped, causing the Fairy tail members to look at him weirdly. But then he saw the face of Pause, looking scared and shocked at the same time. "Pause..."

"Vali..." He whispered, unsure of what to say to the apathetic looking Earth Mage. His mood seemingly switching faster than the tension in the room.

"We'll talk after, I promise that." Was all he got from him.

"Focus Vali." Doranbo said, placing a hand on the Earth Mages shoulder. "I can't do anything else but this, so just focus."

He sighed. "Fine..."

"Mmmhmmmhmmhmm! Looks like the fairy's have shown up!" A familiar squeaky voice rang out below the balcony, catching his attention right away.

"Oh dear, not Balloon man..." Vali felt his head start to ache at the instant thought of dealing with the high pitch wails of his recent attacker. However the thought of getting a bit of payback felt like a reasonable trade off. His annoyance surged more however, when the bloodshot eyes of said Mage focussed on him instead of the others…

"Oooh! It's you again!" Vali winced. "I've been looking forward to finishing _you_ off for a while now!"

' _That bloody voice!'_

"I take it you have been thinking of nothing else then?" Was all he asked in reply…

"Oh absolutely!"

"Well, don't worry, I can give you something else to worry about." He grinned.

"Really? What?"

Vali couldn't help but think about how he would sound when he said what he was about to say. Because he meant it… So as he growled at his enemy he knew that he would keep his word.

"...Pain..."

He had drawled his words out perfectly, the tone, the literacy, the threat was spoken as if it came from the most dangerous man in the world. The words carried weight behind them. They were felt by his target.

Yet all he got in response was a laugh…

A harrowing laugh, a laugh that would surely wreck a normal humans vocal chords. Despite the rising atmosphere the Balloon Mage just cackled away as if he'd heard the most amazing joke his ears had ever had the pleasure of hearing.

"Without love…?" Was all he asked.

"Well..." Vali began, jumping down to the ground floor, landing a well practices front flip before staring the Balloon Mage down. "I heard that you liked it rough."

:::-((x))-:::

This was not what Kafuchi had expected…

His guild was the definition of order through fear. If he wanted his inferiors to do something for him he would use fear to command them, if he had enemies that needed silencing he would strike a cold blizzard of fear into their hearts and if he had to punish the masses his main weapon would always be fear.

Point being his guild was ruled by fear, but it would always be fear of himself over any other outside source at all times. Never once was it fear of something or someone else above him. He hated the thought, loathed it, despised it with all of his being. For him it represented the descent into chaos and the ruin of all he had worked for.

And that one tiny shift in the fear was what he was seeing all around him right now…

Fairy Tail. The guild had always been a huge thorn in his side, his minions all were fearful of being caught by Fiore's Number: One guild. Fairy tail had always held a massive spot of contention for himself as he found himself struggling to maintain his ironclad death grip over the guild in the battle of fear-mongering.

All the fear had shifted from him to certain members of the blasted guild. One of which he had his best men capture recently.

Macao Conbolt, The adult Fire Mage who had taken out an entire squadron of his men with a single blast of his infamous 'Wall Of Fire Technique'. A strong and dedicated member in his own right. He could spot the man in question standing next to his master, glaring down at the masses below.

Laxus Dreyar had been a more recent addition to the list of noteworthy members of the guild. A teenager who wielded a powerful Dragon Slayer Magic. The boy had knocked out two of his elite mages with relative ease. However, he could not see the runt anywhere in the crowd. Good.

Then there was Makarov…

The guild master, the man who wielded Titan magic. The strongest man in the guild and wizard saint on the council of ten. The old coot had refused to just let nature claim his body as his tiny frame stood strong on the railing. Looking at him with an expression of anger and satisfaction at the same time.

There were others, Vejeetar, Nab and a few others were within the crowd above and he was not going to let any of them live if he could help it.

"You lousy degenerates!" Makarov bellowed, cold and icy rage flooding through his veins as he glared at the dark guild with pure anger. "You laid your filthy hands on my family, now you will feel my full wrath, nothing will save you!"

If any of Kafuchi's guild members didn't feel like running before, now even his elites were trying to back away…

However, Kafuchi stood his ground, but feeling the overwhelming magical presence had him very weary of the old man. "How did you get here so fast!"

"That's none of your business." Was the scathing reply he got. Makarov didn't move an inch though. "Children..."

He paused…

"RIP THIS PLACE TO SHREDS!"

And with those five words, Kafuchi's order finally succumbed to the ever present chaos he so hated…

:::-((x))-:::

Throughout the entire time the good and bad guild interacted Gray had stayed silent. His anger not welling down a single inch despite his best efforts. It was as if the world had become a secondary concept in his mind. The alien anger not completely unfamiliar to him pervaded and coursed through his veins, forcing him to take heavy breaths in a vain attempt to quell the hatred and the rage he was feeling.

' _How dare he! How dare he! He must die! Kill! Kill! Kafuchi! Die! KILL!'_

He was losing control of his emotions, but the Devil Slayer knew something was wrong with him, the only beasts that deserved death were demons. Kafuchi just deserved pure pain…

But just thinking of the Dark Guild Master made him so _angry…_

Then the fighting broke out, he only vaguely saw Vali spring at the Balloon Mage with a surprising speed, knocking himself and his enemy away and into larger area of the building and out of his vision.

Everything was an incoherent blur, all except for Kafuchi. He needed to hurt him, to make him want death, to suffe-

"No!" He whispered, shock sneaking up on him. What was he thinking? He didn't want to kill anyone besides demons and especially Deliora. But looking at the bastard didn't help matters.

What was _Happening…_?

"'No' What boy!?" He looked up robotically, the voice of Kafuchi spiking his anger hugely once again. The guild master looked absolutely livid, storming his way to close the gap between himself and Gray. "You did this didn't you!? Ruining my magnificent guild by bringing the Fairy Scum to my doorstep!"

"Get away you bastard..."

"Not now boy! After everything you did to me! Now you will die you horrible brat!" Kafuchi summoned two huge jet black snakes from his outfit. "Prepare to feel true pain brat!"

' _You know nothing of pain you crazy clown...'_

Gray never flinched from the sight of Kafuchi's snake snake charm. Instead he opted to summon his intense icy aura, preparing to fight.

"Die!" Kafuchi bellowed, commanding his snakes to attack.

Unfortunately for him, his snakes barely made it within five inches of Gray before they were instantly frozen and shattered to pieces.

"You want to fight now? Good." Gray finally looked him in the eyes for the first time since Fairy tail showed up. "Because i'm gonna not only kick your ass, but I'm gonna break it too."

"Snake snake charm!"

"Ice Devil: Rage!"

:::-((x))-:::

Vali Narrowly avoided his enemies explosive balloon, sliding underneath it and launching himself into the air with acrobatic trained ease.

"Behind you knob head." He giggled, watching the Balloon Mage throw his first punch at him in a desperate attempt to force him away. To which he burst forward, blocking the attack with his left arm and simultaneously punching him in the face with his right.

With his opponent stunned by the shock and pain of the fast jab, Vali grabbed him by his head (or at least where his head was) and forced it into his rapidly ascending knee. As the Balloon Mage reeled back as he tried to stop the pain in his now broken nose Vali pulled him forward by his arm and jumped up to bring his feet to his chest before jumping from there and using the downward momentum to bring his fist into the balloon Mages face at devastating speeds, sending him crashing into the ground with a huge thud and a little crater from the impact.

"I win!" He chirped. Laughing as he watched the Balloon Mage stumbled to his feet, almost falling back down as he tried to quell the pain from the blows Vali dealt him. Moaning and wincing all the way, anger clearly shown on his battered face as he glared at Vali with hatred.

"Damn you brat!" He screamed. But suddenly his anger faded and his smile started to creep back onto his face. "Hahahahahahahahahahaha!"

Vali frowned, why was his enemy laughing? He had just been beaten and humiliated within a minute of combat, his balloons hadn't hit him once and he had struck him so many times it should have been impossible to do so.

An uneasy feeling started to well up within him and before he knew what was going on, he found himself struck and forced further into the far wall as pain shot up throughout his entire body. He was unable to stop the powerful yelp of pain that released itself before the huge object had retracted and let him fall into the floor.

"Shit… ah!" He winced, feeling his ribs begin to swell slightly. It hurt, a lot. A pain like this was not very common for him, he had not been properly hurt like this for years on end, since he was a child with a past he'd rather ignore.

It was relatively new for him, and he hated it.

"That hurt, asshole." He snapped. Looking back, only to groan in displeasure as he looked at the huge bulky frame of the other Elite Mage. His massive meaty bags on the end of his hands gave him the answer as to what had struck him. "Oh, so it was you."

He stood, looking at the silent humanoid and taking him in, calculating his body, looking for weaknesses while while the big guy got tired and charged him with a massive extendable fist. Thinking fast, Vali rolled to the side- avoiding the attack by a fraction only for another fist to catch him off guard and send him barrelling into the wall next to his previous crater seconds before, leaving him groaning from the head splitting pain that suddenly crashed through him.

"Nice work Brandybuck! Let's kill the brat now whilst he's down!" Vali heard his recent victims screeching through the merciless ringing in his ears but only just. His attention was focussed on trying to quell as much of the pain as possible, forgetting about the fighting around him and only keeping his eyes on the two elites.

And as he dodged another fist and managed to bring up a wall of Earth to block the next one, he couldn't help but mentally pat himself on the back for his vigilance, laughing inwardly as he watched the huge man try to get his arm out of the wall.. But a barrage of needles made sure he stopped gloating in time to duck and roll away.

"Bugger off will you! I am dealing with your humongous boyfriend at the moment!" Lashing out in self defence, Vali threw both arms to the side once he was a safe distance away and quickly clamped them shut together above his head, which lead to his magic bursting forth and manipulating the ground beneath the stone floor to penetrate through the surface and slam themselves into the Balloon Mages sides, completely submerging him with relative ease before hardening once more, trapping the elite within the Earthy confines.

Then that left the big guy…

Almost as fast as lighting could ever be, Vali spotted the second elite and his fist closing in at break neck speeds. Sweat began to drip from his forehead, he wasn't going to dodge it, he wasn't going to be able to dodge such a big and fast punch without getting hit.

"Shit!" He cursed tiredly. His mind, body and magic begging him to stop and let them rest. It was times like this when he hated his small magical container. He could never keep up a fight to the late game, he didn't have the reserves to.

He needed to end this fight quickly or he would suffer the consequences…

With a groan, he threw his hand up just in time for a thick Earthen wall to block his opponents fist. He brought it down seconds later however, he was tired, magic almost completely gone, his body beginning to ache from days of travel and little rest.

But as he did he saw the elite mage stagger back from the pain in his knuckles, his balance most certainly taking a blow in the process from the way he was standing.

This was his chance, his small window of time to take the big man out and he knew it, he couldn't keep this up much longer, not with how little magic he had left over the days of using it up. His mind whirled itself into overdrive as he thought of the good he could do by taking the bastard out.

' _It's worth it… Just beat his ass...'_

He took in a breath before launching off of his feet and bursting into a sprint with a loud groan, clenching his fist and thrusting it through the air towards the stumbling elite, a massive drill of Earth forming from the ground and following his motion perfectly before slamming straight into the enemy, easily coursing through the armour as the metal made a loud groaning noise at the damage received and knocking the giant man out as it hit him straight in the head, unconscious.

"Yes!" Vali huffed… Unable to muster up the energy to properly inflect his voice. But before he could crumble to the floor he heard the faint sound of Earth crumbling and hitting the floor, eyes widening at the realisation of what it was, he turned around to see the Balloon Mage, escaping the Earthen clamp and staring at him in fear, shaking as he saw the downed elite behind him.

"B-Brandybuck?" he quivered, shock rolling off of him in waves as he stared back at Vali. "But how!? He was only slightly weaker than master Kafuchi!"

Vali huffed, a fatigued smirk creeping onto his face, making him look slightly deranged. "Oh really? Well I was very displeased with his performance, but you'll entertain me right?" He asked, straining to keep his fatigue out of his voice.

His words had the desired effect nonetheless, the Balloon Mage yelped in terror at the thought of facing the Earth Mage in combat as he scrambled away from him, sprinting through the fighting crowd to escape him.

"He is so not getting far..." He laughed, before feeling his tiredness catch up to him, going weak in the knees he dropped to the floor and felt his eyes close, the black dots appearing in his vision told him all he needed to know…

' _Finally, some fucking rest!'_

:::-((x))-:::

The battle was furious, it was a fight that pit the cold, unforgiving tidal wave of rage against the equally cold but way more intense evil. The space around them was cleared as everyone, friend and foe alike didn't want to get involved with the two out of control mages as they hit each other hard, nothing was off limits.

After freezing another four snakes and shattering them, Gray charged forward, ice forming around his forearms to make gauntlets as he struck Kafuchi In the stomach before jumping up with the momentum he gained and striking him square in the face, causing the psychotic man to howl in pain before grabbing the Devil Slayers wrists and tossing him away to make ground.

"Quit being a nuisance you brat! Snake Snake: Charm!" Kafuchi glared at the raging boy, sending not four but six snakes to attack him. Growling in pure anger as they were too completely destroyed by Gray's devastating Ice attack. He didn't give him time recover though, instantly calling on more of his malicious magic to summon even more charmed snakes to kill his enemy and sending them to attack.

Within an instant Gray froze them solid, but instead of destroying them, he turned his arm into pure ice and slammed it through the whirling and winding path that the snakes took. Within seconds Kafuchi was sent to the ground, yelling in pain as he clutched at his broken nose, seemingly trying to kill Gray with a hateful stare…

"I hope that hurt you scum!" Kafuchi barely rolled out of the icy lance's path, cursing the boys strength before having the wind knocked out of him by thick icy rod that forced the mage to fall to his knees due to the pain.

"Ice-Devil: Cryo Blast!" Gray yelled, having given in to his hatred of the man before him before leaping into the air, a small magic circle forming around his fists as they struck Kafuchi straight in the face, sending him through the floor and yelling in pain from the force.

He was weak and Gray knew it. He could end it all now and make the bastard pay for his crimes and evil. But just as he was about to send a hail of blades into the weak Master a huge hand suddenly grasped his own pair firmly.

He was going to yell at the huge man who stopped him, but found himself looking into the wizened eyes of an old, tiny man.

"That's enough son, you won, we all have..." He stated, his tone kind, caring yet firm. Almost like his former master.

That thought alone caused the enrage young boy to snap out of his anger infested state. His mind clearing as he thought about what Ur would say to him for losing his temper like he did now. What would his father think?

From the old man's perspective, it was almost like watching an angry red haze lift away from the child's one working eye. He felt great sympathy for him already and could definitely see what the other two boys meant by this one being loopy.

The 'Vali' boy had used that particular description…

"Fine." Was the tight reply from the boy. His anger clearly not all gone, but at least he was thinking straight now.

The old man sighed as he looked around the ruined building. His children had really done a number on this place, just how he liked it. The degenerate dark guild had been completely beaten, the only casualty was the Vali child, who was only passed out from exhaustion.

"Now what though?" The boy questioned. The old man just sighed and rested his now, slightly smaller hand onto the boys shoulder.

"We take him to the rune mages in Magnolia and get him transferred to the black vox prison." He smiled. "He will get his punishment in time."

"But that prison was in trouble a few days ago!" Gray called out.

"What do you mean son?" He asked the boy, confusion lacing his tone. "We never heard of this trouble."

"That's because Drum Bee and many other had the wardens captured! They were only able to stop this with my help!"

Now this had to be fake, the old man chuckled, but humoured the kid anyway. "Really?"

"Yeah, me and some guy who says is part of your guild."

"And who would this be young one?"

"Some guy named Gildarts, know him?"

At the mention of the name, everyone who wasn't on the floor unconscious looked at the boy with shock. They all knew Gildarts was a nomad type of guy, it wasn't impossible for him to bump into this boy on his travels, but to actually have helped him save a bunch of highly trained prison wardens was pushing it slightly.

The old man was silent for a second before looking at Gray quizzically.

"Yes, we know him, I guess he told you to come here yes?" He asked.

"No, my master told me to."

"Master?"

"Yeah, Master Ur Milkovich, she taught me Ice-Make magic..."

Another person the old man knew well…

This boy was really something…

But before he could get another word in on the matter, a loud growl came from the crater below. Gray suddenly glared down at Kafuchi. Warning him to shut up. But he didn't listen.

"You..." He lifted a finger to Gray. "You destroyed everything I worked so hard for!" He yelled, his magic starting to quake violently around him as he weakly got to his feet. "My guild, my fortune, MY NAME!"

Suddenly a huge gust of magic bolted up and hit Gray so hard it sent him rocketing into the ceiling and falling back down, the old man unable to stop his fall in time. The Devil groaned as he felt his left hand begin to swell up from where he fell on it. His head began to thump painfully and his vision was dazed for a few seconds.

But his anger also came back, stronger and more hateful than ever before. He felt the need to cause pain to Kafuchi but also the overwhelming urge to kill the bastard right where he stood. He tried to fight it but his mind felt at ease when thinking of the Masters death.

But he still fought, despite the pain, despite the hatred. He would stand strong…

That was when he noticed Kafuchi summon his snakes again. But this time, they were overwhelming, reaching around the entire room and swallowing up all of the unconscious subordinates to him. There screams echoed around the room as they were dragged to their uncertain fate to fuel their masters power.

And in the sea of countless faces, Gray could see the teary eyed young face of his friend Pause, their eyes locking for a second before he to was swallowed up by the sadistic masters snakes.

"Pause..." He spoke, numb. His emotions beginning to flare up as he tried to contain the ever so rising feeling of rage that began to truly course through him. But he didn't want to fight it, no matter how bad it was…

Kafuchi had just killed his friend for all he knew. He needed to die…

"No..." He whispered. "Pause, no..."

"Consuming your own comrades to amplify your own power..." The old man stood, watching in such obvious disappointment that it pervaded the entire room. "How far you have fallen Kafuchi..."

The master laughed, insanity laced heavily in his low pitched tones as he gazed in an almost insanity driven rage at the old man.

"I have no use for cowards who run away and weaklings!" He screamed, his low pitch reaching a horrifying inflection. "Now the battle of masters can take the centre stage!"

But the old man didn't respond by moving to face him, he only stood still and gazed past Kafuchi. "Turning your back on your opponent is highly unwise Kafuchi."

"What?!" He bellowed, turning around to see what the old man was staring at. Only to end up struggling against a torrent of razor sharp shards being blown his direction. He growled as most of the icy shards cut deeply into his body, drawing gushing blood from multiple areas.

"DIE!" Gray screamed, pure Rage and murderous intent emanating from his form as he charged the madman, instantly forming icy daggers and swinging away at him as his opponent tried to dodge and counter.

Every snake charm sent his way was sliced apart and destroyed upon touching the unforgiving cold of Gray. But after grabbing the boys wrist and twisting it out of place, Gray yelled in agony, feeling his broken wrist flop painfully around. Kafuchi took the opportunity given to him to finally attack Gray by barraging his smaller body with an array of deadly snake charms.

And Gray screamed… The pain jolted through him as he fell to the floor and writhed to try and rid himself of the deep bloody gouges that the snakes left of his body, nothing could have prepared him for the overwhelming pain that coursed through his body and got increasingly worse as time went on.

He hated it, he hated the pain, he hated the gouges, he hated the one responsible for them, he hated Kafuchi.

He wanted to see the man die…

Black dots began to cloud his vision and a bloody red haze dropped over his sight before all was lost to him as he drifted into the unfeeling blackness.

"Die..."

:::-((x))-:::

(3 days later)

A bright light pierced his vision as his eye opened itself up. The first thing to come to mind was the confusion, the questions, then the answer… Then the fear.

Suddenly, he shot up and out of what he realised was a clean white bed that seemed to be next to a desk with water and bread at the ready of his awakening. The room was big, clean but not typically a hospital type of room. It felt homely almost…

Just where was he?…

He didn't know where he was, that much was certain, but he didn't feel dead or in pain. He didn't feel unsafe or in immediate danger.

"Hello?" He called out, his voice dry from the lack of usage making him cough a little after ward. Unfortunately, no answered him.

"Hello?" He called a little louder after drinking some of the water. He hoped someone would heed his call, he really didn't want to get up and walk to the exit…

He had enough walking the past two weeks…

:::-((x))-:::

No one came…

The bastards…

Limping out of his bed he had come across Vali's unconscious form, luckily he looked no worse for wear and just extremely exhausted. He'd be up in no time if that was the case.

But this proved that they were safe. That they were still alive and kicking..

But where was Doranbo?

"I guess I will get the answers from you when you wake up earthworm." He sighed, giving up on questioning everything he came across. Right now he just wanted to know who he was in the care of.

So he slowly made his way to the big brown double doors ahead, taking in the little patterns on the borders before grabbing the grey knob and opening the door.

And he was… graced…

Graced by the sight of laughter, partying, friendly conversation. Everyone was talking to someone or interacting in some fashion, not a single person felt truly left out or negative in anyway. The atmosphere had switched from silent and suspicious instantly to positive and jovial. The people felt connected, loved and most importantly…

Like they were part of a family…

And it left the boy stunned. Sure he had felt loved and compassion from his father, but he had also been his teacher and main authority figure. He had to do other things and because his mother had never been around to raise him and do anything his father had he had to do with a bit of everything… His poor, amazing father never could be the father he wanted to be to him…

This place… Was he finally seeing what a true family looked like?

' _No, family always hurts you in the end Gray, don't set yourself up to fall again!_

Gray shook his head of those thoughts, finally taking his first steps to the bar where he saw a weird guy in a turban serving everyone that came to.

He got his attention, the eyes snapping to him with a friendly acknowledgement before widening with realisation. But the smile came back just as quickly.

"A little young to be drinking lad." The man laughed heartily at his own joke, it was almost as if he found himself to be funny or something. "But I take it you are here to see our master yes or no?"

Stunned, Gray just nodded numbly, his mind trying to catch up with the fact the man had accurately called out his thoughts right away. But he had caught himself up soon enough as the man lead him to the back room at the far back of the seemingly endless building.

The man came to a standstill as he turned to face the boy with a smile. "Our master is through this door, he is very busy but always has time for us, he is a great man so treat him with respect okay?" He asked, genuinely caring about this masters well being and wanted the best for him. Another shocking factor to add to the list that seemed to grow ever more for the Devil Slayer.

"Well, i'll leave you two to chat then." He said and with a wave, he strolled back to his bartender duties.

"Well..." Gray swallowed the nerves rising in his throat. Hand placed on the old doorknob before him. "Here goes nothing I guess."

:::-((x))-:::

"Old man!"

"Brat!"

"You're the master!?"

"You're awake already!?"

"Yes!" Both the old man and Gray shouted at the same time before blushing in embarrassment at the situation. The old man was the first to recover from the embarrassment and he got back into his high chair that lifted his tiny frame a full foot from the ground.

' _That must be hell on his knees..._ ' Gray thought with a secretive chuckle…

The old man cleared his throat before speaking. "Yes well, you seem to be feeling much better now after three days of re-"

"Three days!?"

"Yes, three days." He repeated, disgruntled at the interruption. "Anyway, I know you have questions, well now is the time to ask them." He spoke, the tone calming and reassuring, it caressed the Devil Slayers inner beast and let feel truly relaxed for the first time in years…

"Okay then. Who are you?"

"My name is Makarov Deyar, wizard saint and master of the Fairy Tail guild. And I assume you are Gray Fullbuster?"

"Yes, how do you kno-"

"Your master Ur and I knew each other, she had been sending me multiple letter a month about how she had these two prodigious boys who had an amazing affinity for Ice-Make Magic. She also told me that one of them had another magic of which she wouldn't specify for personal reasons."

And the numbness came back…

Gray hid his shakes very well as he seemed to fool Makarov. But inside he was a torrent of emotions. Was that why Ur suggested Fairy Tail to him? Because she new the master? And she also thought that both Lyon and himself were prodigies in Ice-Make?

New information about his master only made the betrayal feel that much worse yet warm at the same time…

"She had also lamented to me about how she had to send one of her boys away a day or two before Deliora's sealing." Makarov said, catching on to the very well hidden shaking. Sympathy for the boy rose within him the more info he gave. He seemed to be going through a turmoil.

"She had told me how much she hated herself for hurting you in her attempt to protect both you and her other pupil. She told me roughly that if she could erase the decision she wouldn't though, because she believes that it was the only thing she could do to keep you both safe from each other..."

At this, Gray didn't bother hiding the fact of his emotional state. He just couldn't take it much longer, his master had done it to protect him? From Lyon and vice versa? Did she truly care for him and he had been too blind by anger and betrayal to see that fact?

He could feel tear building up in his eye, how much she must have hurt for her decision…

He was a true monster.

"I know Master Ur, and her decision wasn't a light one, nor one I agree with. But if she did this to protect you, this must prove how much she loved you both. Cherish that Gray, not many people like her are out there."

And that was it…

Those words, the simple, yet deep, complex and kind words had broken the emotional dam that the Devil slayer had put in place, all of his anger, his sadness, his happiness, his joy, sorrows everything had burst out in one huge torrent of emotions…

And for the first time since the loss of Ur, the death of his father…. Gray cried…

:::-((x))-:::

(10 minutes later)

After a minute of Gray's outburst he stopped the crying and composed himself under the care of the kind Guild Master. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders, he may never get over her actions, but with time, Gray felt that he could forgive her. One day perhaps.

Then he restarted the questions. All meaningless for the most part, how old was Makarov, who was kafuchi and his men etc.

Time was coming to a close for the meeting however… And Gray two more questions. Well, one question and a potential follow up question.

"Okay, two more questions and I am done." He said, looking at Makarov with his usual grumpy stare. But it was a kinder one than most.

"Of course brat." He smiled back.

"Is this, the people outside, the building, is this Fairy Tail?"

Makarov chuckled lightly. "I think you know the answer to that."

Gray rose an eyebrow, slightly confused. "Yes?"

The old man nodded. Confirming the place of Gray's searching and causing a grin to spread across the young boys face with the next question...

"Okay last question, how do I join?"

Makarov simply grinned, as if he knew something Gray didn't…

"Just two questions." He said simply. "First, where would you like you Guild mark?"

Gray stood in shock, unable to comprehend the sight in front of him nor the words that were just spoken. "Y-you mean…?"

"Yes, just tell me where and what colour and you can consider yourself a member of Fairy tail!" The grandeur response was silly, but Gray didn't care at all, to be told he can join right away, was mesmerizing…

"U-Uh right pectoral if that's fine, in dark blue?"

Suddenly, Gray felt a light thud on his chest and looked down tto see the master pull a stamp away from the place in question, his eye widened when he saw the magical insignia gleam like a reflective miracle on his chest…

"Done..." Makarov smiled at the boys suddenly change in emotions. It was like he had turned the cold boy into a child for some time. "But do keep your trousers on please!" He shouted, looking away at the ghastly sight that he was graced with.

"Shit!" Gray cursed, scrambling like a madman to get his trousers back on. After a while fumbling and swearing he had them on once again. He felt normal for a while.

But he quickly forgot about the incident. Here it was, upon his chest the symbol of his one last chance at life. A chance for happiness, a life worth living and love…

He had gone through a lot to get to where he was now…

But it was worth it…

"Oh one more question before you leave brat." He looked back, Makarov was smiling, but it seemed a little more grim than before.

"Okay?" Gray slowly sat back down, looking at the old man and watching his every move.

"You passed out three days ago and we brought you here to recover… But you don't remember anything do you?"

He swallowed… No he didn't. What had he done.

"Thought so brat. First off, well done for beating Kafuchi." he began and Gray's eye almost bugged out at the fact that he beat Kafuchi.

"But..." Makarov continued, his tone now serious and concerned. "What were those black marks on your body during that fight?"

…

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"Marks…?"

:::-((x))-:::

And that does it! The end to the first three arcs of this story! Finally! XD

Now I can move on to TRE S2 for you all still interested in my crap. :)

But once I have finished that I will return to this to do another three or four or whatever so don't worry I just REALLY need a break from this story I have been writing almost nothing else this past year I need to do another thing or I will throw myself into the nearest lorry on the road and sing Baby by Justin Bieber…

And no one wants that…

Also, Come on Jack, you are better than that… (I saw the tweets after don't worry, just memeing if you get what ia m talking about.)

Anyway, please remember to drop a review to give me your opinion on this, anything good? Bad? Sexy? Just hesitate to tell me and I will take it into account.

You guys make authors authors after-all…

Anyway, pandering aside, thank you for reading and I will see you in either TRE or One's Perseverance. :)

-Viperhat


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